Selman Sakar Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Institute of Bioengineering EPFL SWITZERLAND

Biomedical research in the era of microrobotics

Robotics and automation may play a critical role in the development of high-content experimentation platforms for animal models. Together with our collaborators, we have been working with zebrafish embryos, fruit flies and ants, which are ideally suited for doing research in developmental biology, neuroscience, and behavioural sciences, respectively. Here, the robotic manipulation instruments must be readily compatible with the state-of-the art microscopes and housing conditions. Our work has shown that microrobotics can provide the desired precision, dexterity, robustness and reach for the chosen small animals and the complex physical manipulation tasks. I will explain how robotic micromanipulation led to several recent discoveries while emphasizing broader impact in biomedical research.