We want to characterise the interaction between the needle of an untethered magnetic robot (UMR) and a blood clot during retrieval after needle insertion by using stereo microscopic imaging.
Knowing the interactions is important because we want to know if the blood clot will be pulled out in one piece or if only part of the clot is retrieved, if it will break into smaller pieces that might travel further downstream and get stuck there, or if something else unexpected happens. We also want to know how consistently the clot can be removed.
How:
Using a stereo microscope, we will look at the UMR entering the phantom blood clot in a clear tube, and by recording its retrieval, we can determine factors like the stiction between the UMR and the clot and the deformation of the clot. By doing this multiple times, we can also determine the consistency of the retrieval.
Tasks:
-Integrate the experimental setup with the stereo microscope, including mounting the tube and motion system.
-Record the needle clot interaction during multiple retrievals.
-Measure the deformation of the clot over time using frame-by-frame image analysis.
-Estimate stiction and failure behaviour (fragmentation, slippage) from the videos.
-If there is breakage, estimate the size of the fragments.
-Quantify retrieval consistency: Is the clot removal reproducible under the same conditions?
