Research Activities
Automated two fingered nanomanipulation system working through the focus of a X-ray beam
Characterization of intrinsic properties of materials through an X-ray beam is investigated by nanorobotic manipulation using dual AFM probes. Micro-objects are localized, positioned, and placed automatically using multisensory feedback (light reflection, microscopy and force feedback).
Multiscale and multiphysics modeling of magnetic nanorobots navigating in the brain
Predictive models and simulation tools for catheter-based delivery of navigable nanocapsule aggregates is of prime importance for targeted therapy. To achieve this, we developed models and methods at different scales (fluid mechanics, statistical physics and molecular dynamics) with a high level representation of the vascular and extravascular space of the brain. The models take into account the structure of the vasculature, the pore-size of the vessel walls and the composition of the extracellular matrix.
Modeling and Control of magnetically guided micro/nanorobotic capsules in vascular networks
Navigation control of untethered magnetic microrobots (500µm) navigating in a pulsative flow has been developed and tested in microfluidic vascular networks. The neodymium microrobot is actuated thanks to controlled magnetic fields and gradients generated from pairs of coils of Helmholtz and Maxwell. Numerous experimental results in various sizes, viscous environments, pulsatile flows illustrate the efficiency of the control algorithms.
About ENSI / PRISME
The NanoRobotics team operates at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Ingénieurs de Bourges (ENSI) under the direction of Prof. Antoine Ferreira. The research program is focused on developing new methods to design, model, and control biomedical micro/nano-robotic systems in three areas: MRI-based microrobotics, biological manipulation, and micro/nano-manipulation systems.
