Automated Embryo Manipulation and Rotation via Robotic nDEP-Tweezers.

Unlabelled: Embryo manipulation is a fundamental task in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Nevertheless, conventional pick-place techniques often require proper alignment to avoid causing damage to the embryo and further, the tools have limited capability to orient the embryo being handled.

Objective: This paper presents a novel and non-invasive technique that can easily manipulate mouse embryos on a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Petri dish.

Automatic System for the Blastocyst Embryo Manipulation and Rotation.

Cell manipulation plays a vital role in the success rate and efficiency of the cell microsurgical operations, including biopsy of cell internal organelles such as the embryo biopsy, in which the embryo is manipulated and reoriented safely to a predefined desired position and orientation. In this paper, a simplified approach for the blastocyst embryo reorientation is proposed. It utilizes conventional tools and techniques currently in use in manual approaches in research labs and In Vitro Fertilization clinics, and controls the process using a vision feedback system.

Cell extraction automation in single cell surgery using the displacement method.

Micromanipulation is the precise in vitro handling and study of individual biological cells, where the smallest error can be disastrous. One such example is the extraction of cellular material from multicellular organisms, such as cells from early stage embryos. In this paper, we propose automation methods for the extraction and retrieval of individual cells from a multicellular organism in vitro using the displacement method.

Achieving Automated Organelle Biopsy on Small Single Cells Using a Cell Surgery Robotic System.

Single cell surgery such as manipulation or removal of subcellular components or/and organelles from single cells is increasingly used for the study of diseases and their causes in precision medicine. This paper presents a robotic surgery system to achieve automated organelle biopsy of single cells with dimensions of less than 20 μm in diameter. The complexity of spatial detection of the organelle position is reduced by patterning the cells using a microfluidic chip device.

Out-of-Plane Rotation Control of Biological Cells With a Robot-Tweezers Manipulation System for Orientation-Based Cell Surgery.

In many cell surgery applications, cell must be oriented properly such that the microsurgery tool can access the target components with minimum damage to the cell. In this paper, a scheme for out of image plane orientation control of suspended biological cells using robotic controlled optical tweezers is presented for orientation-based cell surgery. Based on our previous work on planar cell rotation using optical tweezers, the dynamic model of cell out-of-plane orientation control is formulated by using the T-matrix approach.

Localized Electroporation With Dielectrophoretic Field Flow Fractionation: Toward Removal of Circulating Tumour Cells From Human Blood.

This paper presents the design and experimental performance of a microelectrode-based device to selectively lyse cells in a flow in a microfluidic channel. Localized cell lysis is achieved by utilizing "irreversible electroporation," in which cells are exposed to high magnitude electric pulses. Localized cell lysis in a flow has research applications and may allow for the removal of harmful cells, such as circulating tumor cells from blood.

Effects of dielectrophoresis on thrombogenesis in human whole blood.

Thrombogenesis (blood clot formation) is a major barrier to the development of biomedical devices that interface with blood. Although state-of-the-art chemically and pharmacologically mediated clot mitigation strategies are effective, some limitations of such approaches include depletion of active agents, or adverse reactions in patients. Increased clotting protein adsorption and platelet adhesion, which occur when artificial surfaces are exposed to blood result in enhanced clot formation on artificial surfaces.

Automation and Optimization of Multipulse Laser Zona Drilling of Mouse Embryos During Embryo Biopsy.

Unlabelled: Laser zona drilling (LZD) is a required step in many embryonic surgical procedures, for example, assisted hatching and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. LZD involves the ablation of the zona pellucida (ZP) using a laser while minimizing potentially harmful thermal effects on critical internal cell structures.

Objective: Develop a method for the automation and optimization of multipulse LZD, applied to cleavage-stage embryos.

Design of optimal electrode geometries for dielectrophoresis using fitness based on simplified particle trajectories.

Dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces applied to microscopic particles are highly dependent on the gradient of the electric field experienced by the particles. These DEP forces can be used to selectively capture and remove cells from fluid flows within a micro-channel above the DEP electrodes. Modification of the geometry of the electrodes that generate the electric field is the main approach available to increase the electric field gradient over a wide area, and hence increase the applied dielectrophoretic force.

Multi-Pulse laser ablation modeling with applications to automated zona removal.

Laser zona drilling (LZD), the ablation of a portion of the zona pellucida (ZP) in embryos with the use of a laser, is a required step in many embryonic surgical procedures such as assisted hatching and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. The objective of LZD is to remove specific locations of the ZP while minimizing potential harmful thermal effects to important structures of the embryo, namely the blastomeres. Current thermal analyzes of lasers used in LZD only encompass the use of a single pulse, whereas LZD is typically performed using multiple pulses.

Simulation of a high-speed superimposed fiber Bragg gratings interrogation system.

This paper presents a simulation of high-speed nonuniform random sampling in a superimposed fiber Bragg gratings (SFBGs) interrogation system. The simulated Gauss SFBGs are used to generate a nonuniform sensing pulse train during each scanning cycle. Six different conditions that can cause nonuniform sampling are simulated, and a random sine-wave driving method to improve the driving speed is proposed.

A universal piezo-driven ultrasonic cell microinjection system.

Over the past decade, the rapid development of biotechnologies such as gene injection, in-vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and drug development have led to great demand for highly automated, high precision equipment for microinjection. Recently a new cell injection technology using piezo-driven pipettes with a very small mercury column was proposed and successfully applied in ICSI to a variety of mammal species. Although this technique significantly improves the survival rates of the ICSI process, shortcomings due to the toxicity of mercury and damage to the cell membrane due to large lateral tip oscillations of the injector pipette may limit its application.

Optimal combination of minimum degrees of freedom to be actuated in the lower limbs to facilitate arm-free paraplegic standing.

Arm-free paraplegic standing via functional electrical stimulation (FES) has drawn much attention in the biomechanical field as it might allow a paraplegic to stand and simultaneously use both arms to perform daily activities. However, current FES systems for standing require that the individual actively regulates balance using one or both arms, thus limiting the practical use of these systems. The purpose of the present study was to show that actuating only six out of 12 degrees of freedom (12-DOFs) in the lower limbs to allow paraplegics to stand freely is theoretically feasible with respect to multibody stability and physiological torque limitations of the lower limb DOF.

Dynamic modeling and torque estimation of FES-assisted arm-free standing for paraplegics.

This paper presents an application of recent findings in the field of redundant robotic systems' control, toward investigating the feasibility of functional electrical stimulation (FES) assisted arm-free standing for paraplegics. Twelve degrees-of-freedom (DOF) forward and inverse dynamic models of quiet standing have been developed. These models were used to investigate the minimum number of DOF that would need to be actuated in order to generate stable quiet standing in paraplegics despite internal and external disturbances.