Title: Development of a robotically-based automated biodosimetry tool for high-throughput radiological triage

Authors: Youhua Chen, Jian Zhang, Hongliang Wang, Nabil Simaan, Y. Lawrence Yao, Guy Garty, Yanping Xu, Oleksandra V. Lyulko, Helen C. Turner, Gerhard Randers-Pehrson, D.J. Brenner

Addresses: Columbia University, 220 S.W. Mudd Building, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 USA. ' Columbia University, 220 S.W. Mudd Building, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 USA. ' Columbia University, 220 S.W. Mudd Building, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 USA. ' Columbia University, 220 S.W. Mudd Building, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 USA. ' Columbia University, 220 S.W. Mudd Building, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 USA. ' Columbia University, 136 S. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 USA. ' Columbia University, 136 S. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 USA. ' Columbia University, 136 S. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 USA. ' Columbia University, 136 S. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 USA. ' Columbia University, 136 S. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 USA. ' Columbia University, 136 S. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 USA

Abstract: To provide the best opportunities for life-saving interventions in the event of a radiological or nuclear threat, there is an urgent need to improve the speed and efficiency of biodosimetric assays for triage and therapy. A rapid automated biodosimetric system used to assess thousands of individual radiation exposure doses is helpful to curb mass panic, and to conserve limited medical resources. This paper presents the development of a new robotically-based automated biodosimetry tool (RABiT). The RABiT is capable of automating two mature biodosimetry assays: the micronucleus and γ-H2AX assay. The design considerations guiding the hardware and software architecture are presented with focus on ease of implementation, methods of communication and need for real-time control versus soft time control cycles. Advanced technological developments for the RABiT including multipurpose gripper, non-contact laser cutting, automated biology protocols and transferring of the samples to a transparent substrate and high-speed multiple camera imaging are described in detail. The evaluation results show that the RABiT prototype has a throughput of 5,859 samples in an 18-hour duty cycle.

Keywords: biomedical automation; robotic manipulation; biodosimetry; cell harvesting; radiological triage; radiology; biodosimetric assays; radiation exposure; robot control; multipurpose grippers; non-contact laser cutting; automated biology protocols; high-speed multiple camera imaging; biomecial robotics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBBR.2010.033029

International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics, 2010 Vol.1 No.2, pp.115 - 125

Published online: 06 May 2010 *

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