Microrobot for Drug Delivery

This technology features a mechanical system where a microrobot connected to a base rod uses an external magnetic field to move an internal magnetic linear actuator longitudinally to pressurize and release drugs, or deforms a magnetic absorption member to release the drug.

Conventional balloon catheters are difficult to use in micro-vessels due to the need for radial expansion space, and standalone microrobots are difficult to retrieve after drug release due to blood flow.

This technology utilizes a microrobot fixed to a base rod (catheter/guidewire). It releases drugs by pressurizing them via a magnetically driven linear actuator or by deforming a magnetic absorption member, while the base rod allows for precise positioning and retrieval of the robot. Applicable to surgical robots, interventional systems, and medical automation, it improves drug delivery to small blood vessels and enhances the safety of drug administration.

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Key Features:

• The drug reservoir is a linear actuator that moves along the longitudinal axis of the base rod in response to an external magnetic field.
• In a microrobot mounted on a base rod, a connection part is used to secure the robot to the base rod.
• A connection part that secures the robot to the base rod.
• A microrobot where the drug is pressurized and released by a longitudinally moving linear actuator.

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

Robot Joint Device

This technology is a joint structure that implements 6-degree-of-freedom motion between a first base and a second base based on a parallel mechanism, and calculates rotation angles and torque through a sensor unit that includes a rotation angle measurement component and an elastic component disposed on the rotation axis.

Conventional torque measurement methods require separate torque sensors, which complicates the device structure, increases manufacturing costs, and reduces the overall price competitiveness of the robot due to the use of expensive components.

This technology simplifies the structure by coaxially arranging a torsion spring (elastic component) and a rotation angle measurement component on the link rotation axis. By calculating the measured rotation angle and a predefined elastic coefficient in the control unit, it precisely measures joint torque without the need for a separate torque sensor. It can be applied to robot gripping, precision measurement, and automation equipment, providing a compact and cost-effective robot knuckle device for measuring rotation angles, linear displacement, and power or torque, thereby improving the accuracy and cost-efficiency of robot systems.

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Key Features:

• A robot joint device, wherein a plurality of sensor units each comprise a rotation angle measurement component for measuring the rotation angle of a rotor with respect to a rotation axis, and an elastic component for providing elastic force to a connecting member with respect to the rotation axis.
• A plurality of connecting members connecting the first base and the second base to enable 6-degree-of-freedom rotational movement of the second base relative to the first base
• A plurality of sensor units connected to each of the plurality of connecting members to measure the rotation angle of the rotor with respect to the rotation axis and the torque acting on the rotation axis
• A second base disposed spaced apart from the first base

Wearable Device for Lumbar Muscle Support

This technology provides assistive force by stacking multiple unit modules to track the multi-degree-of-freedom movements of the human spine, such as flexion, extension, and lateral bending, while controlling the tension of drive and auxiliary wires. By combining ball/universal joints in the articulation sections with the restorative force of elastic components, it achieves variable stiffness and assistive force tailored to the wearer's spinal movement.

Existing wearable muscle support devices often fail to fully accommodate the complex degrees of freedom of the spine (extension, flexion, lateral bending, rotation, etc.), resulting in limited support ranges and causing discomfort or restricted movement for the wearer.

This technology utilizes drive wires and left/right auxiliary wires that pass through multiple unit modules arranged along the spine, with a drive module that variably controls the tension of each wire. It provides lateral bending support through elastic components and optimizes muscle assistance for the wearer's movements by measuring and providing feedback on wire tension via pulley and spring encoders. Applicable to rehabilitation training, gait assistance, and medical/welfare services, it provides a wearable device that offers high-degree-of-freedom muscle support, prevents lower back injuries, and reduces lumbar load, thereby improving comfort and transmission characteristics.

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Key Features:

• Auxiliary wires passing through the multiple unit modules along the spinal direction on the left and right sides of the modules
• A drive module that operates the drive wire to generate and adjust the tension of the drive wire
• A spinal module comprising a plurality of unit modules arranged along the spinal direction
• A drive wire passing through the center of the plurality of unit modules along the spinal direction

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of international standard-based functional safety implementation technology and risk assessment/reduction technology for robots operating in human-contact environments.

Magneto-Acoustic System for Microrobot Steering

This technology utilizes an acoustic generator installed on an external base to create pressure differences from standing waves within a fluid medium, focusing multiple microrobots into a specific point to form a swarm. A magnetic field generator then creates a field to steer and move the swarm to a target location.

Using a single microrobot makes efficient drug delivery difficult due to limited storage capacity, and moving individual robots is time-consuming and costly.

This technology is a magneto-acoustic steering system and method that forms a microrobot swarm by applying sound waves to the fluid medium inside an object using multiple acoustic elements placed on a base, and then controls a magnetic field generator to stably guide the swarm to a target point. It can be applied to industrial robots and automated systems, improving drug delivery capacity and the steering of multiple microrobots.

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Key Features:

• A magnetic field generator installed on the base that creates a magnetic field within the object.
• An acoustic generator installed on the base that transmits sound waves into the object.
• A magneto-acoustic system for microrobot steering that uses the pressure difference at the nodes of superimposed standing sound waves to focus multiple microrobots.
• Multiple microrobots injected into the object.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the Intelligent Microrobot-based Body-on-a-Chip for Precision Medicine project.

Method for Measuring the Pose of a Microrobot

This technology measures the pose of a microrobot using image processing and marker-based coordinate tracking. It separates the microrobot from noise in captured images through differential imaging, color binarization, and size comparison, overlays a marker onto the robot, and calculates the robot's pose by determining the coordinates of color boundary points.

When microrobots are inserted into the human body, noise from light scattering, body tissues, and blood vessel walls occurs during image acquisition. Conventional technologies, which directly recognize markings on the microrobot's surface, suffer from frequent recognition errors and low pose measurement accuracy due to this noise.

This technology consists of a preprocessing step to identify the microrobot by separating it from noise, a step to virtually display a marker that intersects the robot's outline based on the identified geometric information, and a step to calculate the robot's pose by analyzing the boundary coordinates of binarized colors (first and second colors) on the marker. Applicable to robot gripping, precision measurement, and automated equipment, it improves the accuracy of microrobot pose measurement in noisy environments, thereby enhancing measurement reliability and enabling precise measurement.

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Key Features:

• A step of displaying a marker on the recognized microrobot in the captured image that intersects the microrobot's outline, with a diameter larger than the width of the recognized microrobot and smaller than its length.
• A step of binarizing colors such that among a plurality of points, those located outside the microrobot have a first color, and those located inside the microrobot have a second color.
• A step of recognizing the microrobot by distinguishing it from noise in the captured image.
• A step of displaying a plurality of points on the displayed marker.

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

Method for Generating Intersection Pattern Recognition Models Using Mobile Robot Sensor Data and Intersection Pattern Recognition System

This technology is a control mechanism that recognizes intersection patterns and determines the absolute position of a mobile robot by converting pre-established guide lines or structural data into a grid-based path map and training a normalized virtual map alongside sensor data, without the need for additional landmark installations.

Conventional technologies require landmark sensors at every intersection to estimate a mobile robot's position, leading to high installation costs, a lack of flexibility when environmental changes necessitate reinstallation, and difficulties in maintaining real-time performance due to increased data transmission volume when operating multiple robots.

This technology generates a path map based on usage environment information within a management server, creates a virtual map normalized so that the distance between intersections is an integer multiple of a unit length, and provides the robot with a model that classifies and recognizes 'L', 'T', and '+' shaped intersection patterns by training this data with sensor data. It can be applied to logistics transport, service robots, and autonomous driving platforms, enabling real-time movement control of mobile robots without separate landmark sensors, thereby improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of such physical distribution systems.

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Key Features:

• A training unit that generates an intersection pattern recognition model using virtual maps and mobile robot sensor data as training data.
• A map generation unit where the management server receives usage environment information for the mobile robot and generates a path map based on that information.
• A normalization unit that generates a virtual map by normalizing the path map according to pre-set rules.
• An intersection pattern recognition system using mobile robot sensor data, wherein the path map consists of a grid-based map, and the normalization unit generates the virtual map by normalizing the path map so that the distance between intersections is an integer multiple of a unit length.

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This invention was developed with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT's AI-based Anti-Drone Active Control Technology Development project.

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.

Microrobot for Guidewire Steering

This technology features a mechanism where one or more magnetic elements are placed inside a flexible body, which is connected to a guidewire via an elastic component. When an external magnetic field is applied, the microrobot bends, thereby improving the steerability of the guidewire.

Conventional guidewires have fixed shapes and angles, requiring high levels of skill for navigation through complex blood vessels. This leads to longer procedure times, increasing radiation exposure for both physicians and patients.

This technology utilizes a flexible body and an elastic connection, with at least one magnetic element embedded within the body to allow it to bend in response to an external magnetic field. Specifically, by placing a primary magnetic element at the distal end and setting the body length to at least three times the length of the magnetic element, the steering angle is maximized. Applicable to industrial robots and automated systems, this technology reduces surgical time and minimizes radiation exposure for patients and medical professionals, ultimately improving the precision and efficiency of vascular treatments.

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Key Features:

• A microrobot mounted on a guidewire, comprising a body portion that extends along the longitudinal direction of the guidewire and includes a flexible material to allow for lateral bending.
• An elastic portion connecting the guidewire to one end of the body portion, such that the distal end of the guidewire is positioned toward one end of the body portion.
• A body portion including a flexible material to allow for lateral bending of the guidewire.
• An elastic portion connecting the guidewire to one end of the body portion.

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

Biodegradable microrobots for hyperthermia therapy and drug delivery

This technology involves dispersing magnetic and drug particles within the body of an implantable microrobot. By applying an external alternating magnetic field, the magnetic particles generate heat, which accelerates the degradation of the biodegradable polymer body, allowing for precise control over the dosage and release rate of the drug.

Conventional technologies suffer from issues such as the loss of magnetic particles and drugs due to blood flow, as well as limitations in surface-coating methods that prevent real-time adjustment of drug release rates, making it difficult to deliver the appropriate dosage to the target lesion.

This technology embeds magnetic and drug particles within a biodegradable polymer body. By adjusting the duration and intensity of the external magnetic field, it induces heat in the magnetic particles to control the polymer degradation rate, thereby regulating the amount and timing of drug release. Applicable to surgical robots, interventional systems, and medical automation, it minimizes the loss of magnetic particles and drugs and prevents them from migrating to unintended areas, significantly improving the efficiency of hyperthermia therapy and drug delivery.

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Key Features:

• A body formed of biodegradable polymer that determines the shape of the microrobot
• A configuration containing magnetic particles and drug particles distributed within the body
• Drug release dosage within the body is controlled based on the duration of the external magnetic field application
• A structure where magnetic particles heated by a magnetic field accelerate polymer degradation to release the drug

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the Intelligent Microrobot-based Body-on-a-Chip for Precision Medicine project.

System Control Device and Method

This technology is an algorithm that calculates sliding variables based on a system's position error and rate of change over time, applying them to a nonlinear adaptive load model to adjust PID controller gains in real time.

Conventional PID controllers use fixed gain constants, which can lead to degraded control performance or difficulty in maintaining robustness when system loads change, often requiring repetitive trial and error by the user to determine optimal gains.

This technology uses sliding variables as inputs for a nonlinear adaptive load model to adaptively calculate PID gains. It includes control logic that reduces gains to a lower limit to maintain stability when sliding variables increase due to load changes, and resets gains upon detecting load variations via sensors. Applicable to industrial robots and automation systems, this method improves the robustness of the system controller against significant load fluctuations by adaptively modifying the PID gains.

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Key Features:

• A gain determination unit that applies sliding variables, which vary according to system load changes, to a preset adaptive load model, and adaptively adjusts gains using the adaptive load model to which the sliding variables are applied.
• A system control device wherein the gain determination unit reduces the gain until a preset lower limit is reached when the sliding variable increases.
• A gain determination unit that adaptively adjusts gains using an adaptive load model to which sliding variables are applied.
• A PID controller configured to control system behavior and having adjustable gains.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for brain mapping-based robot rehabilitation.

Robot Joint Structure

This technology forms a joint by connecting two spaced-apart bodies with a cross-flexure hinge consisting of two pairs of intersecting connectors. When applied to the finger joints of a robotic hand, it achieves both high rigidity and a compact design.

Conventional robot joint structures often lack sufficient rotational rigidity, limiting their precision in gripping tasks. Furthermore, the bulky nature of these joints makes it difficult to achieve a compact, miniaturized design for robotic hands.

This technology connects the first and second bodies using two joint units arranged in mirror symmetry (each containing two intersecting connectors) to enhance rigidity. By integrating a pulley and wire drive system within the bodies, it maximizes the spatial efficiency of the robotic hand. Applicable to industrial robots and automation systems, it improves the stability and rotational stiffness of robotic hands, enabling them to effectively mimic human hand movements.

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Key Features:

• A second joint unit positioned to face the first joint unit, connecting the first body and the second body
• A robot joint structure where the first joint unit and the second joint unit are cross-flexure hinges.
• A first joint unit connecting the first body and the second body
• A second body positioned at a distance from the first body

Microrobot for Temperature Control in Targeted Regions Within the Body

This technology is a mechanism that heats magnetic particles within an internally administered microrobot using an external alternating magnetic field. It utilizes light-emitting particles (quantum dots) that emit near-infrared light based on temperature, allowing for non-invasive, real-time feedback control of heating temperatures from outside the body.

Conventional hyperthermia treatments carry a high risk of damaging surrounding healthy cells due to overheating, as they cannot directly measure or control the temperature of the magnetic particles.

This technology features a microrobot composed of a polymer embedded with magnetic particles and temperature-dependent near-infrared-emitting quantum dots. An external measurement device detects the intensity of the emitted light, allowing for precise adjustment of the external magnetic field intensity via PID control. This can be applied to robotic gripping, precision measurement, and automated equipment, improving temperature control accuracy and preventing overheating and damage to healthy cells during medical treatment.

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Key Features:

• Light-emitting particles administered into the body to reach a target region, emitting light with intensity that varies according to temperature
• Configuration including magnetic particles whose temperature changes according to the intensity of an external magnetic field
• Structure characterized by the light-emitting particles being quantum dots and the emitted light being near-infrared
• Configuration where light passes through the skin to be emitted outside the body, with its intensity measured by an external measurement device

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the Intelligent Microrobot-based Body-on-a-Chip for Precision Medicine project.

Self-Propelled Microrobots Using Bio-Based Organisms

This technology is a hybrid microrobot system that combines the chemotaxis of therapeutic cells (bacteria/immune cells) with the magnetic propulsion of magnetic nanoparticles. It prevents internal accumulation by inducing a dissociation temperature (Td) through external heat sources (near-infrared/alternating magnetic fields) to separate the cells from the nanoparticles.

Existing microrobots face limitations in precise targeting during magnetic propulsion, and the magnetic nanoparticles injected into the body can remain, causing cytotoxicity and side effects. Furthermore, bacteria-based robots often suffer from low lesion-reaching rates due to blood flow resistance.

This technology uses ligand-receptor binding (such as biotin-avidin) to attach magnetic nanoparticles to therapeutic cells. After transporting them to the lesion via an external magnetic field, the system applies localized heat to break the bond, allowing the separated magnetic nanoparticles to be retrieved using an external magnetic field, thereby resolving the retention issue. Applicable to industrial robots and automated systems, it enables selective drug release through cell sorting for therapy, improving treatment efficiency and minimizing side effects.

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Key Features:

• Microrobot comprising ligand-introduced therapeutic cells and receptor-introduced magnetic nanoparticles
• Magnetic nanoparticles are attached to the surface of therapeutic cells via ligand-receptor binding
• Therapeutic cells include attenuated genetically modified bacteria or immune cells
• Structure that dissociates at temperatures above body temperature due to heat generated by magnetic nanoparticles when an external magnetic field is applied

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for brain mapping-based robot rehabilitation.

Method for Manufacturing Ultra-Fine 3D Microrobots Using Laser-Processed Polymer Molds

This technology involves creating a polymer mold using 3D laser lithography, then injecting and sintering a non-polymer material containing magnetic metal particles via plating or dipping to form the entire microrobot structure out of magnetic metal.

Existing photocurable polymer-based microrobots suffer from non-uniform magnetization distribution during magnetic material deposition, and mixing in magnetic particles leads to reduced laser transmittance, lower manufacturing precision, and insufficient structural rigidity.

This technology first creates a high-precision mold using 3D laser lithography, then injects and sinters a non-polymer material (containing magnetic substances) into the mold to metallize the entire structure, ensuring uniform magnetization intensity and high rigidity. Applicable to industrial robots and automation systems, it enhances the rigidity of 3D microrobots and improves magnetization intensity for better control within magnetic fields.

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Key Features:

• Preparing a mold containing microstructures using a 3D laser lithography system
• Manufacturing a 3D microrobot by injecting non-polymer material into the mold
• Producing a sintered body by injecting non-polymer material with a magnetic film formed via plating or dipping into the empty spaces of the mold
• A manufacturing method where the magnetic metal is homogeneously distributed once the sintered body is separated from the mold

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for the development of 3D precision microstructures and foundational technology for cell/drug delivery.

Dual-Grip Robotic Hand

This technology features a mechanism that performs dual-stage gripping and hemostasis by first securing an irregular object (such as a patient's limb) with mechanical fingers, followed by applying physical pressure using an inflatable air cuff. It maintains the grip state using a ratchet gear and locking member, while controlling gripping stability through pressure sensors and a through-type primary sensor unit.

Conventional robotic hands struggle to accurately grip irregular objects like human limbs due to structural limitations in their finger design, making it difficult to perform precise tasks such as arterial compression for hemostasis.

This technology consists of a link-structured finger unit, a finger drive unit, an air cuff, an air supply unit, a laser sensor (primary sensor) for object positioning, a pressure sensor (secondary sensor) for grip force detection, and a grip maintenance unit based on a ratchet/locking member to secure the mechanical grip. It can be applied to logistics picking, service robots, and manufacturing automation to improve object handling capabilities, enhance the accuracy of hemostasis, and prevent excessive clamping force or skin damage.

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Key Features:

• A grip maintenance unit featuring a locking member that engages with the teeth of a ratchet gear to prevent the fingers from rotating in the direction of extension, along with an elastic member that biases the locking member toward the ratchet gear.
• A finger drive unit that actuates the fingers in either a bending or extending direction.
• A pair of opposing finger units arranged to grip an object.
• An air supply unit that provides air to the air cuff.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of safety-guaranteed soft manipulators and multifunctional gadgets for relief operations.