Mobile invivo microrobot for measuring intercranial pressure

AMSYS GmbH & Co. KG, Mainz, November 2023. Imagine a millimeter-sized microrobot that moves in the brain, measures intracranial pressure, takes tissue samples or releases well-aimed medication. Is that a utopia?

The small microrobot from Robeauté can move freely in 3D within the body, unlike the one-dimensional range of motion of conventional probes. The robot and its pressure sensor always remain in connection with the surgeon via a thin cable for data transmission. The French company Robeauté has installed the invivo pressure sensor from Amsys for intracranial pressure measurements (ICP).

Versatile disposable sensor

This disposable absolute pressure sensor, as installed in the microrobot, provides accurate and sta-ble values in the range of -300 mmHg to +500 mmHg, which is of interest for clinical use, and can remain in the body for several days. The sensor is intended for applications in air and saline liquids such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid or urine. This makes it suitable not only for monitoring invivo brain and eye intervention, but also for the use in arteriosclerosis and in urology.

Also suitable for catheters with only 1 French diameter, Amsys GmbH & Co. KG is presenting the smallest absolute pressure sensor for invivo pressure measurements at Compamed in Düsseldorf this year. The sensor, measuring just 750 × 220 × 75 µm, is already connected to a highly flexible, fully protected cable for easy use.

Evaluation kit with calibrated sensors

For an easy start with the IntraSense, an evaluation kit with several already calibrated sensors is available. After connecting the evaluation board to a USB interface, the pressure and temperature signals from the sensor can easily be read out using the free open-source Arduino software. The sensors are available from Amsys either as uncalibrated or calibrated standard version, with two standard cable lengths (60 cm or 180 cm) or as a extra light-protected version.

The innovation

The french company Robeauté is pushing boundaries with a tremendously powerful active device concept, at the opposite end of the passive microrobotic consensus: a fully equipped microrobot, de-veloped for in vivo intracerebral 3D navigation. This microrobot concept consists of two parts: (1) the standard part composed of a micropropulsor, a microengine, a microelectronics and micro-wires for power and communication, and (2) the additional ICP micro-sensor a plug-in-extension, which can be adapted to different surgical interventions (microsensors, microelectrodes, microcameras, etc.).

Outstanding features 

• For 1-French diameter catheter
• 750 × 220 × 75 µm small 
• 460 to 1260 mmHg (adjustable) 
• including cable, customer-specific length 
• Light protection for endoscopy 
• Nonlinearity typ. ±0.07%FS 
• Evaluation kit with Arduino software for easy prototyping

Applications 

• Intracanial pressure measurement ICP 
• Embolization 
• Atrial ablation 
• Atherectomy 
• Occlusion of the aorta 
• Thermodilution 
• Microvascular obstruction
• Endoscopy 
• Aortic control 
• Endourology 
• Glaucoma
• Cochlear implants

Company

AMSYS GmbH & Co. KG is a medium-sized company based in Germany and has focused on the field of sensor technology since its foundation. As a distributor for sensors, AMSYS is one of the specialists in pressure measurement technology on the German-speaking market.

AMSYS' product range extends from piezoresistive pressure sensing elements, simple SMD mount-able transducers, amplified/unamplified and matched OEM sensors, PCB modules, to ready-to-use pressure transmitters.

AMSYS offers sensors and pressure cells in the pressure range from 1.25 mbar up to 800 bar. In addition to a wide variety of pressure sensor types, AMSYS also offers OEM humidity sensors, tem-perature and inclination sensors, and wireless Bluetooth solutions.

Due to the technical competence of the employees and the good contact to the suppliers, custom-er-specific modifications of the standard products can also be offered, which allows individual prob-lem solutions. Further information can be found at www.amsys-sensor.com.

Picture: ©robeauté: invivo microrobot