About the Project
Can a robot approximately the size of a grain of rice navigate within an intracranial environment and perform precisely controlled microsurgical actions? This project will investigate miniature robotic technology for future minimally invasive interventions inside the brain, bringing together robot design, magnetic actuation and control.
The Sheffield Microrobotics Lab has developed a grain-sized motor and magnetically controlled robots for in-body applications. Building on these technologies, the project will explore how miniature actuation and surgical mechanisms can be integrated into a rice-grain-sized robot. The central engineering challenge is to control both the robot's position and its interaction with its surroundings within a confined, delicate environment.
The student will develop a robotic platform for a selected microsurgical task. The precise task and access route will be defined during the initial stage of the project, informed by engineering feasibility and clinical requirements. Research may include the design of a miniature manipulation mechanism, integration of the grain-sized motor, magnetic guidance, and feedback methods for positioning and tool control.
The work will combine CAD, miniature fabrication, modelling and programming with experimental evaluation. Initial prototypes will be tested in transparent laboratory models, followed by more representative anatomical or tissue-mimicking phantoms. Performance will be assessed through positioning accuracy, tool motion, interaction forces, task completion and reliable recovery or retrieval of the robot. The project aims to establish an experimentally validated engineering foundation for future intracranial applications.
Depending on the student's interests and background, the emphasis may be on mechanical design, miniature actuation, sensing or feedback control. The student will gain experience in developing and evaluating complete robotic systems, analysing experimental results and communicating research through publications and presentations.
The project will be based in the Sheffield Microrobotics Lab in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Sheffield. It offers an opportunity to combine practical robot development with questions at the interface of robotics and biomedical engineering.
Funding Notes
Available for externally funded and self-funded students.
Applicants with a background in mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, robotics, control engineering, biomedical engineering or a related discipline are encouraged to apply. An interest in miniature hardware development and experimental research is essential. Experience in CAD, fabrication, electronics, programming or control would be beneficial. These are additional project-specific preferences; the School will provide standard academic entry requirements.