SBIR Phase l: Micro-Robotic Wetware Development (MicRobowet) For Micro-Organisms Detection and Manipulation

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I effort proposes to develop a micro-robotic wetware system (MicRobowet) in the form of an integrated microgripper/sensor array for active biological detection and robotic manipulation of micro-organisms such as bacteria, pathogens, metabolites, viruses, fungi, protozoa, lichens, slime molds, etc. in a wet water environment. In the Phase I effort, only small samples of swollen polyacrylamide hydrogel will be used for the simulation of soft micro-organisms. The micro-robotic wetware system is enabled by an array of soft micro grippers made with ionic polymeric artificial muscles.The proposed system is intended for the detection and discrimination of micro-organisms in fluidic media using the grasping and sensing properties of ionic polymeric metal composite (IPMC) microgrippers which work well in biological fluidic media. The broader impacts resulting from the proposed activity is that if successful it will impact industries such as food, pharmaceutical, health, environmental remediation, agriculture, microbiologic, beverage brewing, ocean and marine, security, genetic engineering and genome, animal, water purification, shipping, all biotechnology companies, biotechnology programs and researchers and science teachers involved with detection and manipulation of micro-organisms. The proposed development further positively impacts rapid detection and classification of pathogenic micro-organisms for safety and homeland security considerations.