Microrobot for guidewire steering

Microrobot for Guidewire Steering

This technology features a microrobot structure and a guidewire steering mechanism where a flexible first magnetic body bends at varying angles and changes its stiffness in response to the direction and intensity of an external magnetic field.

Conventional guidewires have limited steering ranges, which can lead to buckling during navigation through blood vessels, causing vascular damage. Furthermore, the frequent need to replace guidewires based on the hardness of thrombi reduces procedural efficiency and increases the risk of vessel injury.

This technology utilizes a flexible first magnetic body (polymer and magnetic powder) and a rigid second magnetic body arranged in series at the tip of the guidewire. By applying an external magnetic field, the bending angle of the first magnetic body is precisely controlled, and the stiffness of the microrobot is adjusted by varying the magnetic field intensity, thereby ensuring superior guidewire steerability. Applicable to industrial robots and automated systems, this technology enables precise guidewire control and prevents vascular damage, significantly improving navigation and safety in medical procedures.

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Key Features:

• A first magnetic body mounted on the guidewire that bends at different angles according to changes in the direction of an external magnetic field
• A second magnetic body, less flexible than the first, positioned in one direction from the first magnetic body
• A configuration where the first magnetic body is mounted to surround the tip of the guidewire
• A biocompatible tube made of biocompatible material that surrounds portions of the first and second magnetic bodies

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of a microrobotic system for the treatment of chronic total occlusion in myocardial infarction.