# US 12,599,450 B2 · Light propulsion for microrobot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,599,450 B2 - Document ID: US12599450B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/575,506 - Filed: 2022-06-30 - Published: 2024-09-26 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-30 - Assignees: Robeaute - Applicants: Robeaute - Inventors: Bertrand Duplat; Quentin Francois; Ali Oulmas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12599450B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 34/72: {Micromanipulators} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A microrobot including a propulsion system with a propulsion structure deformable in elongation/contraction along a main axis, an actuator or actuation zone configured to actuate sequentially elongation/contraction cycles of the propulsion structure, a light source aimed at, when activated, emitting at least one predetermined light signal, and a remote control unit. The light source includes an optical fiber, and is configured to be activated by the remote control unit, and the actuator or actuation zone is configured to be activated by the light signal emitted from the light source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microrobot configured to move in a viscous or viscoelastic navigation material, the microrobot comprising: a head portion and a rear portion, and a propulsion system, wherein the propulsion system comprises: a propulsion structure comprising a deformable portion connecting the head portion and the rear portion, the deformable portion being deformable in elongation and contraction along a main axis connecting the head portion and the rear portion, an actuator or actuation zone configured to actuate sequentially elongation and contraction cycles of the deformable portion, a light source aimed at, when activated, emitting at least one predetermined light signal, and a remote control unit, wherein: the light source comprises an optical fiber, the light source is configured to be activated by the remote control unit, and the actuator or actuation zone is configured to be activated by the light signal emitted from the light source, the light signal thus actuating sequentially elongation and contraction cycles of the deformable portion, the microrobot being thus driven by light propulsion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the deformable portion is a volumetric structure extending in 3D dimensions, said deformable portion being designed to allow any light signal to diffuse through it in any direction, at least when the deformable portion is in its elongated state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the contraction of the deformable portion when activated by the actuator or actuation zone stops the light signal emitted from the light source to reach the actuator or actuation zone, thus leading to a deactivation of the actuator or actuation zone and thus to an elongation of the deformable portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the light source is directly connected to the microrobot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The microrobot according to claim 4, wherein the connection between the microrobot and the light source is a hermetic connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber comprises at least one sensor in order to sense the light signal running along said optical fiber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The microrobot according to claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor communicates with the remote control unit in order to modulate the emitted light signal as a function of the received light signal by each actuator or actuation zone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the actuator or actuation zone comprises a light focalizing element in order to focalize the emitted light signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion system further comprises a steering system, the propulsion structure thus comprising at least one steering element connected to the head portion and the rear portion, said at least one steering element being activable by the light signal emitted by the light source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microrobot according to claim 9, wherein the at least one steering element extends along the deformable portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The microrobot according to claim 9, wherein the at least one steering element is part of the deformable portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The microrobot according to claim 11, wherein the system further comprises a light dispatching device, said light dispatching device being controlled by the remote control unit in order to dispatch the light emitted by the light source between the actuator or actuation zone, the at least one steering element and any further light activable element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The microrobot according to claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic properties of the light signal able to activate the actuator or actuation zone and the electromagnetic properties of the light signal able to activate the at least one steering element are different from each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The microrobot according to claim 13, wherein the propulsion structure comprises several steering elements, each steering element being activable by a light signal with a specific set of electromagnetic properties, each set of electromagnetic properties being different one from the others. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The microrobot according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an external anchoring element, said external anchoring element being aimed at being secured to the external surface of the body of the subject, the light source and the microrobot being connected to the external anchoring element.