MOSCOW, 21 Jun. Scientists from NRU «MIET» and Sechenov University have developed sensitive sensors made of biocompatible material that can be used to create «electronic skin», and in the future will make it possible to abandon the traumatic biopsy procedure, the authors said. The results of the research are published in Micromachines.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body and can perceive and respond to complex environmental influences. To imitate the human sensory system, scientists around the world are working on creating «electronic skin», experts said. ://ria.ru/20230601/tekhnologiya-1875453549.html» data->
According to scientists, it can be used to create next-generation prostheses, in personalized medicine, soft robotics, artificial intelligence and human-machine interfaces (displays, photovoltaic and transistor technologies). It can also be used in wearable systems for monitoring and caring for human health, biomedicine, regenerative medicine (for example, to control the movement of various parts of the body: limbs, joints, chest, muscle tissue deformation during postoperative therapy, etc.).< br />
Developing «electronic skin», experts strive to recreate as accurately as possible the functions of the human sensory system, the most sensitive mechanical receptors of which are located on the tip of the tongue and fingers of a person — they are also called tactile. The sensitivity of these receptors is in the pressure range of 20-50 Pa.
The university said that in the world there are numerous pressure sensors for robotics with a sensitivity of up to 10 Pa. But they have a low degree of biocompatibility and operating ranges that do not allow their use in medical applications.
Scientists from the Institute of Biomedical Systems of the National Research University «MIET» and the Institute of Bionic Technologies and Engineering of Sechenov University have developed two groups of sensitive strain sensors: tactile and stretchable. based on biological material or biocompatible material, easy to apply and remove. They allow to register with high accuracy various forms of deformation, as well as surface forms — stretching, bending, convexity, concavity, which expands its diagnostic capabilities.
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«The sensitive element of the created strain sensor is a film with a thickness of less than 1 micron made of a composite nanomaterial containing bovine serum albumin, or microcrystalline cellulose, or polydimethylsiloxane and a small additive (less than 1%) — carbon nanotubes,» said Associate Professor of the Institute of Biomedical Systems of the National Research University » MIET" Levan Ichkitidze.
He added that the laser beam treatment significantly improves the mechanical and electrical properties of the film.
For tactile sensors, scientists have obtained sensitivity values of 20-60 Pa, and also implemented an intelligent system for visual recognition of gestures with an accuracy of about 94%, they said. experts.
«Such sensors can be used in minimally invasive surgery: for tying knots using laparoscopic procedures, precise control of a cutting instrument, collecting tactile data at the point of contact of a surgical instrument, in telerobotic operations or diagnostics,» said Ichkitidze.
According to the authors, when using sensors in a new type of endoscope, it will be possible to avoid a traumatic biopsy procedure (taking cells or tissues from the body for diagnostic purposes). This function will be performed by a tactile sensor in the form of a matrix of numerous sensitive elements. Scientists are confident that such a tool will be actively in demand in medicine, especially in oncology.
The results of the research are reflected in a number of scientific publications in 2022-2023 (Bioengineering, Nanomaterials, Physics and Mechanics of New Materials and Their Applications) and in patents of the Russian Federation (No. 2662066, No. 2685570).
The study was conducted as part of the Strategic Academic Leadership Program «Priority 2030».