Mathematical modeling to the motion control of magnetic nano/microrobotic tools performing in bodily fluids, especially blood/plasma

Abstract

The use of microrobotic systems for therapeutic applications has been a hot topic for the last two decades with ever growing interest. One particular application envisioned is the use of untethered robotic devices of the size of a cell performing in the circulatory system. These robotic devices do not possess the volume to house sensors. Furthermore, they are supposed to perform in hard to reach locations, that is, under composite layers of biological tissue of different physical properties impeding the effectiveness of tracking and actuation. On top, the local flow fields of biological fluids such as the bloodstream imposes non-Newtonian, spatially asymmetrical, and partially chaotic conditions on the drag felt by the microrobots. It is common practice to simulate the overall system dynamics before building a robot. This procedure is a requirement for characterization and optimization, as well as model-based control, in some cases, to obtain the best performance for a specific set of mission parameters. Moreover, in the following subject matter it is crucial to model the robotic system in great detail as the mission parameters are constantly subject to spatial and temporal changes. Predicting states of the robot, estimating the local flow conditions, and achieving an addressable and controllable gait rely on understanding the coupled dynamics of the robot, the environment, and the actuation method. This chapter is an attempt to understand the interdisciplinary nature of such microrobotic systems, along with motion control, based on the simplified mathematical models under realistic assumptions. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.