Surface Topography-Adaptive Robotic Superstructures for Biofilm Removal and Pathogen Detection on Human Teeth

From engineers at the University of Pennsylvania: “we demonstrate magnetic field-directed assembly of nanoparticles into surface topography-adaptive robotic superstructures (STARS) for precision-guided biofilm removal and diagnostic sampling. . . .  STARS conform to complex surface topographies by entering angled grooves or extending into narrow crevices and “scrub” adherent biofilm with multiaxis motion while producing antibacterial reagents on-site. Furthermore, as the superstructure disrupts the biofilm, it captures bacterial, fungal, viral, and matrix components, allowing sample retrieval for multiplexed diagnostic analysis. We apply STARS using automated motion patterns to target complex three-dimensional geometries of ex vivo human teeth to retrieve biofilm samples with microscale precision, while providing “toothbrushing-like” and “flossing-like” action with antibacterial activity in real-time to achieve mechanochemical removal and multikingdom pathogen detection.”    MORE

Image Credit:   Pubs.acs.org