title: On-chip microrobot for investigating the response of aquatic microorganisms to mechanical stimulation.
abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel, magnetically driven microrobot equipped with a frame structure to measure the effects of stimulating aquatic microorganisms. The design and fabrication of the force-sensing structure with a displacement magnification mechanism based on beam deformation are described. The microrobot is composed of a Si-Ni hybrid structure constructed using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technologies. The microrobots with 5 μm-wide force sensors are actuated in a microfluidic chip by permanent magnets so that they can locally stimulate the microorganisms with the desired force within the stable environment of the closed microchip. They afford centimetre-order mobility (untethered drive) and millinewton-order forces (high power) as well as force-sensing. Finally, we apply the developed microrobots for the quantitative evaluation of the stimuation of Pleurosira laevis (P. laevis) and determine the relationship between the applied force and the response of a single cell.
authors: Department of Biological Functions and Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 808-0196, Japan. kawahara@lsse.kyutech.ac.jp
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Kawahara
authors: Masakuni
authors: M
authors: Sugita
authors: Masaya
authors: M
authors: Hagiwara
authors: Fumihito
authors: F
authors: Arai
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Kawano
authors: Ikuko
authors: I
authors: Shihira-Ishikawa
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Miyawaki
mesh_terms: D017377:Diatoms / Q000502:physiology*; D055617:Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry; D012371:Robotics; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009532:Nickel; D012825:Silicon