New manufacturing platform used to create biocompatible micromachines

Researchers have developed iMEMS, an innovative manufacturing platform to aid the creation of biocompatible micromachines.

A team from Columbia University's school of engineering and applied science has been able to stack hydrogels in layers to produce devices with freely-moving three-dimensional parts, utilising a locking mechanism for precise actuation and movement. 

The biomaterials were then tuned to provide a wide range of mechanical and diffusive properties, allowing them to be controlled after implantation without a sustained power supply, such as a toxic battery.

A subsequent test using a bone cancer model showed that the triggering of release of doxorubicin from a device produced in this manner over ten days resulted in high treatment efficacy and low toxicity, at around one-tenth of the standard systemic chemotherapy dose.

Biomedical engineering professor Sam Sia at Columbia Engineering said: "Our iMEMS platform enables development of biocompatible implantable microdevices with a wide range of intricate moving components that can be wirelessly controlled on demand and solves issues of device powering and biocompatibility."

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