Automated bubble-based assembly of cell-laden microgels into vascular-like microtubes
Xiaoming Liu, Qing Shi, Huaping Wang, Tao Sun, Ning Yu, Qiang Huang, Toshio Fukuda
Abstract
Fabrication of artificial blood vessels in micro scale significantly benefits the regeneration of functional human vascular networks. In this paper, we develop an efficient multi-microrobotic system with an innovative motorized sample holder (MSH) and two manipulators. Air is injected into the solution through a glass pipette fixed on one manipulator to create bubbles. These bubbles conduct a regular rising movement, which is utilized to assemble the 2D ring-shaped microgels fabricated in a simple micro fluidic device. With this novel bubble-based method and the robotic system, we achieve the automation of the assembly. A 1.2 mm long vascular-like microtube with an outer diameter of 200 µm is fabricated. The whole process of the bubble-based assembly is visually observed and analyzed with side view. Key parameters are characterized to improve the assembly. Results show that the automated bubble-based assembly success rate is 100% and average time cost of assembling every microgel is as low as 3.25s.
BibTeX
@inproceedings{iros2015_automatedbubbleb,
title = {Automated bubble-based assembly of cell-laden microgels into vascular-like microtubes},
author = {Xiaoming Liu and Qing Shi and Huaping Wang and Tao Sun and Ning Yu and Qiang Huang and Toshio Fukuda},
booktitle = {IROS 2015},
year = {2015}
}