Session: 05-12-01: Robotics, Rehabilitation - I

Paper Number: 94303

94303 - Design and Realization of a Double Telescopic Arm End Effector for Multi Format Cell Container Handling Inside of Incubators 

Cell cultivation in life science laboratories is very time consuming due to the increasing amount of required cell lines. Automating cell cultivation is therefore no longer an inessential process but a necessity as cells can be used as surrogate models to study disease or test new drugs.

The process of cell cultivation includes several steps like seeding, renewing cell culture medium, microscopy of cells and checking environmental parameters like temperature, humidity and CO2 content of the ambient air. Control of environmental parameters for optimal growth conditions is achieved by placing cells inside closed incubators. Opening and closing as well as moving cell containers manually in and out of incubators can be detrimental to environmental conditions inside the incubator as well as to cell growth in general.

In this work, the proliferation of stem cells using T75 flasks and multiwell plates inside an incubator is considered. Important steps in stem cell proliferation include manually taking T75 flasks and multiwell plates out of the incubator for cell culture medium change and phase contrast microscopy to determine growth stages.

In the context of this work the stem cell proliferation process including cell culture medium change and phase contrast microscopy is automated by a X-Z-portal robot located inside the incubator itself. The portal robot is vertically mounted in front of incubator shelves. In this paper a special robotic end effector is presented which has two individually controllable telescopic parallel arms mounted on top of a rotating base.

This novel end effector design enables handling of T75 flasks as well as microplates with a maximum and minimum width of 90 and 27 mm while providing a small and symmetric footprint for ease of movement between shelves inside the incubator.

Its sideways parallel gripping action leaves top and bottom of the gripped cell culture container freely accessible for phase contrast microscopy. Thus planar movement by end effector and portal robot on top of phase contrast microscope bench inside the incubator is now possible.

Sideways gripping and Z-movement of the portal robot enable taking off and closing lids before and after cell culture medium exchanges of microplates to minimize contamination risk.

Extending only a single parallel arm the end effector is able to activate simple push to tilt mechanisms for cell culture medium change of T75 flasks. Using both parallel arms the end effector is able to grasp a tube module for cell culture medium deliverance to microplates and T75 flasks.

Utilizing telescopically extending mechanisms for the end effectors parallel arms provides a small footprint in a retracted state thus providing more space for cell culture container storage within the incubator. Symmetric design of the end effector allows for simple path planning and working envelope calculations.

The end effector system was built using additively manufactured (SLS) parts out of polyamide with subsequently vapor smoothing. The end effector and portal robot system was verified T75 flasks, 6-well and 24-well plates in mixed filled shelves inside an incubator setup. Performed tasks were cell culture medium deliverance to microplates and T75 flasks, opening and closing lids of microplates, actuating push to drain mechanisms of T75 flasks and transporting T75 flasks was well as microplates.

Presenting Author: Valentin Ameres Technical University Munich Institue of Microtechnology and Medical Device Technology (MIMED)

Presenting Author Biography: 2012 – 2016 B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering Technical University Munich<br/>2016 – 2019 M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering Technical University Munich<br/>2018 – 2019 M.Sc. Medical Technology Technical University Munich<br/>2020 Doctoral student at MIMED Institute for Microtechnology and Medical Device Technology at Technical University Munich

Authors:

Valentin Ameres Technical University Munich Institue of Microtechnology and Medical Device Technology (MIMED)
Ismael Kostner Technical University Munich Institue of Microtechnology and Medical Device Technology (MIMED)
Lucas Artmann Technical University Munich Institue of Microtechnology and Medical Device Technology (MIMED)
Tim C. Lueth Technical University Munich Institue of Microtechnology and Medical Device Technology (MIMED)