SMALL-SCALE ROBOTS FOR BIOFILM ERADICATION

• Main Authors: Steager, Edward, Stebe, Kathleen, Hunter, Elizabeth, Kumar, Vijay, Brink, Evan, Koo, Hyun
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.01.2022
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES, AS HERBICIDES; BLASTING; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CULTURE MEDIA; ELECTRICITY; ENZYMOLOGY; FISHING; FORESTRY; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; HYGIENE; INDUCTANCES; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MAGNETS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOTOTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTSTHEREOF; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES; SPIRITS; SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; TRANSFORMERS; TRAPPING; VINEGAR; WEAPONS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS; WINE

Systems and methods for eradicating biofilms by killing bacteria within a biofilm, degrading the matrix and removing biofilm debris are disclosed herein. The disclosed subject matter provides techniques for administering a suspension of H2O2 and iron oxide nanoparticles to substantially eradicate bacteria within a biofilm matrix and degrade the bio film matrix, actuating the iron oxide nanoparticles for assembly into biohybrid robots suitable for removal of biofilm debris, and moving the biohybrid robots to remove the bio film debris from accessible or enclosed surfaces. In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter can include embedding iron oxide nanoparticles in a hydrogel to form a soft robotic structure, administering the soft robotic structure to a biofilm-covered location, and magnetizing the soft robot structure to substantially eradicate bacteria within a biofilm matrix, degrade the biofilm matrix, and remove biofilm debris from enclosed surfaces.