Expansionary Institute

Micro-Robots That Control Cells, Run Medical Devices “A Year Away” (Cybergenesis),

Micro-Robots Could Manipulate Cells, Operate Various Medical Devices

ATLANTA, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- An inventor of micro-robots -- nanotools capable of manipulating large molecules and cells -- says he and his collaborators are "no more than a year away" from producing programmable micro-valves that can be used in chemical analysis and potentially DNA sequencing, as reported in NanoBiotech News.

"The company was just granted a U.S. patent that provides broad claims about what the device can be used for, including both therapeutic and diagnostic uses inside the human body," says Lynn Yoffee, associate publisher of NanoBiotech News, a weekly newsletter published by Atlanta-based National Health Information. A four-issue free trial is being offered upon request.

Early specific uses of the micro-robots would be for drug discovery, construction and control of medical devices such as valves and stents, microsurgical instruments, and manipulation of proteins and genetic components.

The micro-robots, developed by Los Gatos, CA-based Innovation On Demand, Inc., can be operated wirelessly by focused beams of energy, enabling the devices to control objects in the nanoscale range -- as small as 100 nanometers.

The microactuators use special metal alloys that return to a "memory" state when heated. They eliminate the need for chips, batteries, and other bulky devices, allowing for actuators that can be miniaturized down to the low-micron range.

When a scanning electron microscope or a laser heats up the shape-memory alloy elements in the micro-robots, it allows them to "walk" or grip and manipulate nanoscale objects. A single scanning electron microscope could control multiple micro-robots engaged in a variety of biomedical and biotechnology research, nanomanufacturing, and other tasks, Ken Clements, CEO of Innovation On Demand, told NanoBiotech News.

Further details about the micro-robots can be found in the August 20, 2003 edition of NanoBiotech News. Other news reported this week includes these articles:

* $100 million in product revenue predicted from new alliance that

targets development of quantum dot nanocrystals for genetic detection

* Fluidigm aims to build pulmonary system on rubber chip

* Caliper Technologies reorganizes in wake of acquisition

* Optical techniques may offer superior control in microfluidics

* Swedish biotech company creates microlaboratory on compact disc

For a free four-week trial subscription to NanoBiotech News, send your email address to info@nanobiotechnews.com, go to www.nanobiotechnews.com, or call 800-597-6300 or 404-607-9500.

SOURCE National Health Information

CO: National Health Information; Innovation On Demand, Inc.

ST: Georgia, California

SU: SVY

Web site: www.nhionline.net

www.prnewswire.com

08/21/2003 12:04 EDT

Sat Aug 30