Browsing by Subject "3D printing"
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Item 3D Printed Functional Materials and Devices and Applications in AI-powered 3D Printing on Moving Freeform Surfaces(2020-08) Zhu, ZhijieThe capability of 3D printing a diverse palette of functional inks will enable the mass democratization of manufactured patient-specific wearable devices and smart biomedical implants for applications such as health monitoring and regenerative biomedicines. These personalized wearables could be fabricated via in situ printing --- direct printing of 3D constructs on the target surfaces --- at ease of the conventional fabricate-then-transfer procedure. This new 3D printing technology requires functional (e.g., conductive and viscoelastic) inks and devices (e.g., wearable and implantable sensors) that are compatible with in situ printing, as well as the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to sense, adapt, and predict the state of the printing environment, such as a moving hand and a dynamically morphing organ. To advance this in situ printing technology, this thesis work is focused on (1) the development of functional materials and devices for 3D printing, and (2) the AI-assisted 3D printing system. To extend the palette of 3D printable materials and devices, on-skin printable silver conductive inks, hydrogel-based deformable sensors, and transparent electrocorticography sensors were developed. As with the AI for in situ 3D printing, solutions for four types of scenarios were studied (with complexity from low to high): (1) printing on static, planar substrates without AI intervention, with a demonstration of fully printed electrocorticography sensors for implantation in mice; (2) printing on static, non-planar parts with open-loop AI, with a demonstration of printing viscoelastic dampers on hard drives to eliminate specific modes of vibration; (3) printing on moving targets with closed-loop and predictive AI, with demonstrations of printing wearable electronics on a human hand and depositing cell-laden bio-inks on live mice; (4) printing on deformable targets with closed-loop and predictive AI, with demonstrations of printing a hydrogel sensor on a breathing lung and multi-material printing on a phantom face. We anticipate that this convergence of AI, 3D printing, functional materials, and personalized biomedical devices will lead to a compelling future for on-the-scene autonomous medical care and smart manufacturing.Item 3D Printing Of Large-Scale Integrated Microfluidic Devices(2024) Kaarthik, Saravanan SujitThe ability to manufacture large-scale integrated microfluidic devices (mLSI) in an automated fashion with high throughput could impact numerous areas, including single-cell assays, drug discovery, and multi-sample analysis of human fluids. Conventional microfluidics fabrication is labor-intensive and requires the use of specialized facilities. Our group previously pioneered a method to 3D print microfluidic channels and valves by extruding silicone filaments in angular stacks. This technique faced limitations in scaling due to slow printing speed (1 mm/s) and inability to generate multiplexed flows. Here, we present an approach to 3D print mLSI devices that introduces an innovative method to reinforce channels locally and reduce the printing time 20-fold by doubling the extrusion diameter of the filaments. This allows for the incorporation of a Boolean design strategy that requires specific valves to remain open when actuated. This work paves the way for point-of-need mLSI production for medical diagnostics and disease detection.Item Data for "3D Printing-Enabled DNA Extraction for Long-Read Genomics" published as ACS Omega 2020, 5, 20817-20824(2020-08-31) Agrawal, Paridhi; Reifenberger, Jeffrey G; Dorfman, Kevin D; agraw135@umn.edu; Agrawal, Paridhi; University of Minnesota Dorfman LabThe deposited data files have DNA size measurement critical to demonstrating long DNA extraction in the microfluidic device, and DNA concentration measurement to show the yield of the platform.Item Data for 3D Printed Organisms Enabled by Aspiration-Assisted Adaptive Strategies(2024-06-17) Han, Guebum; Khosla, Kanav; Smith, Kieran T; Ng, Daniel Wai Hou; Lee, JiYong; Ouyang, Xia; Bischof, John C; McAlpine, Michael C; hanguebum@gmail.com; Han, Guebum; University of Minnesota McAlpine Research Group; University of Minnesota Bischof Research GroupDevising an approach to deterministically position organisms could impact various fields such as bioimaging, cybernetics, cryopreservation, and organism-integrated devices. This requires continuously assessing the locations of randomly distributed organisms to collect and transfer them to target spaces without harm. Here we developed an aspiration-assisted adaptive printing system that tracks, harvests, and relocates living and moving organisms on target spaces via a pick-and-place mechanism that continuously adapts to updated visual and spatial information about the organisms and target spaces. These adaptive printing strategies successfully positioned a single static organism, multiple organisms in droplets, and a single moving organism on target spaces. Their capabilities were exemplified by printing vitrification-ready organisms in cryoprotectant droplets, sorting live organisms from dead ones, positioning organisms on curved surfaces, organizing organism-powered displays, and integrating organisms with materials and devices in customizable shapes. These printing strategies could ultimately lead to autonomous biomanufacturing methods to evaluate and assemble organisms for a variety of single and multi-organism-based applications.Item Finger Movement Classification via Machine Learning using EMG Armband for 3D Printed Robotic Hand(2019-09) Bhatti, Shayan AliMillions of people lose their limbs due to accidents, infections and/or wars. While prosthetics are the best solution for amputees, designing autonomous prosthetic hand that can perform major operations is a complicated task and thus the prosthetic hands that are designed are very expensive and also a bit heavy. The biggest challenge in designing a prosthetic hand is the classification of EMG signals generated by neurons in the arm to distinguish finger movements. These EMG signals vary in strength from person to person and from movement to movement. This thesis proposes a computationally efficient way that uses Machine Learning to classify 5 and 12 finger movements from EMG signals captured by a device called “Myo Gesture Control Armband”. Further, an ergonomic design of robotic hand is also presented that is small, lightweight and cheap, designed using a 3D printer.Item Flow and Drying Dynamics in Gravity- and Capillary-Driven Coating Processes(2017-06) Lade, RobertLiquid-applied coatings are ubiquitous. Buildings, bridges, soda cans, compact discs, and newspapers make up a small fraction of everyday objects whose surfaces are enhanced by coatings. Typical processing steps for a liquid-applied coating include coating formulation, application, post-deposition flow, and solidification. This thesis focuses on the balance between the last two steps of this process and how this balance influences coating behavior and the ultimate quality of the final film. Specifically, post-deposition coating flows driven by gravity or capillarity are investigated in liquid systems that undergo evaporation-induced drying. In Chapter 2, coating defects caused by excessive gravity-driven flow (‘sag’) are studied. A novel particle tracking method is first developed to monitor sag in a model aqueous polymer system. A computational model is developed concurrently to validate the measurements made using particle tracking. This model is then used to generate a novel framework for predicting sag in liquid-applied coatings. Chapters 3–5 focus on capillary-driven flows in open microchannels. First, in Chapter 3, capillary flow dynamics of non-evaporating liquids are studied and compared against existing theoretical models. In Chapter 4, this work is extended to open microchannels fabricated using several three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies. 3D printed microchannels are found to confer unique flow dynamics to the capillary flow, including a distinct start–stop motion caused by surface roughness introduced by the 3D printing process. Finally, in Chapter 5, the influence of drying on capillary flow dynamics is investigated, again using a model aqueous polymer coating system. Drying is found to permanently pin the advancing contact line partway down the channel; three mechanisms of pinning are identified and characterized. Post-pinning flows induced by the coffee ring effect are found to lead to highly non-uniform dry film morphologies. The influence of surfactant, drying rate, and channel width are investigated. Throughout all of this work, the goal is to better understand the balance between flow and drying to facilitate prediction and control of coating behavior during relevant coating processes. As part of this goal, case studies are conducted throughout this thesis, investigating flow and drying behavior in real systems used in commercial coating processes, including latex paints and functional inks used in the manufacture of printed electronic devices.Item Investigate Methods to Increase the Usefulness of Stereolithography 3D Printed Objects by Adding Carbon Nanotubes to Photo-Curable Resins(2014) Wagner, Karl S.; Enemuoh, EmmanuelThis paper aims to inform the reader about the aspects of compositing carbon nanotubes in photo curable resin that is commonly used in stereo lithography 3D printers. The focus is to increase the strength of the resin to allow for a greater range of objects to be printed with SLA printers. The paper will look at the different types of carbon nanotubes that can be used, what weight percent of nanotubes in resin will most likely work best in a printing environment based on surface hardness and cure time, and comparative destructive testing. It was shown with a small sample size that the carbon nanotubes composite had lower strength but greater toughness over pure neat resin.Item Investigate Methods to Increase the Usefulness of Stereolithography 3D Printed Objects by Adding Carbon Nanotubes to Photo-Curable Resins(2014) Wagner, Karl S.This paper aims to inform the reader about the aspects of compositing carbon nanotubes in photo curable resin that is commonly used in stereo lithography 3D printers. The focus is to increase the strength of the resin to allow for a greater range of objects to be printed with SLA printers. The paper will look at the different types of carbon nanotubes that can be used, what weight percent of nanotubes in resin will most likely work best in a printing environment based on surface hardness and cure time, and comparative destructive testing. It was shown with a small sample size that the carbon nanotubes composite had lower strength but greater toughness over pure neat resin.Item Microfluidic Dna Sample Preparation For Long-Read Genomics(2020-05) Agrawal, ParidhiWith the commercialization of genomics technologies, DNA sequencing has become an affordable and accessible tool for innumerable biological advancements. The fast speed, low cost, automated measurement and high throughput nature of these sophistically engineered miniaturized systems is made possible by the rapid advancement in microfluidics. Owing to superior fabrication capabilities and adequate handling of complex samples, microfluidic systems have shown promise for varied biological applications. While measurements are performed at the micro scale in all genomics systems, DNA extraction and pre-processing are done externally, resulting in a wide mismatch between the amount of sample prepared and the amount utilized. This work focuses on using microfluidics as a tool to assist, and hopefully improve, genomics methods. Long-read genomics technologies are capable of obtaining long-range information from DNA molecules about repetitive and complex regions of the genome. Optimal application of these technologies requires shear-free methods for extracting long DNA from cells. These sample preparation tools should be facile, inexpensive, universal and amenable to automation. In addition to providing all these capabilities, microfluidics can not only expedite sample preparation, but also offer the opportunity for direct upstream integration to eliminate DNA fragmentation and loss during transfer to the genomic device. The work outlined here presents a microfluidic platform for long DNA sample preparation. In the 3D cell culture-inspired proof-of-principle poly(dimethylsiloxane) device, gel-based high molecular weight DNA extraction and continuous flow purification is followed by electrophoretic extraction of the long DNA from the miniaturized gel. The device successfully demonstrated extraction of DNA as long as 4 megabase pairs from cells, but the 10 ng DNA yield was insufficient for some genomics experiments. A scaling up of the device design, realized by 3D printing, resulted in a high-yield next-generation device which completely eliminates cleanroom fabrication, making the method accessible to users outside the microfluidics community. The 100 ng DNA extracted from the next-generation device were used for size analysis in commercial genome mapping nanochannels. Along with competitive yield and DNA sizes, the miniaturized format reduces the standard day-long DNA extraction process to a few hours, making it a promising prototype platform for routine long DNA sample preparation. The generic device design and straightforward protocol provide integration and automation capabilities to the platform presented, which are absent in existing alternatives to the plug lysis method. Future avenues of development and application are hypothesized to fully realize the potential of the sample preparation platform. The continued engineering and genomics upgrades justify the proposed strategies.Item Seven Degree of Freedom Curvilinear Toolpath Generation for FDM 3D Printing with Applications in Patient-Specific Medical Device Prototyping(2019-12) Huss, JohnAdditive manufacturing, or 3D printing has changed engineering, prototyping, and design by giving users unprecedented ability to realize designs they could have previously only dreamed of. However, these technologies have limitations. 3D printing is traditionally a layer-by-layer process of depositing material to gradually build a 3D object from 2D slices. Layer direction, part orientation, and overhang angles are all interlinked printing considerations, which may require engineers to make compromises while designing objects for 3D printing. This thesis offers a solution to many of these limitations in the form of a seven axis 3D printing system. Seven axes of motion, three linear and four rotational, allow for standard 3D movement of a printing system with added rotation of both the nozzle and the build plate. Increasing the degrees of freedom of a 3D printing system makes it possible to improve part strength, reduce support material usage and print time, and create objects that are impossible to print otherwise. These extra axes unlock potential to manufacture anatomical models and perform patient specific device development due to the irregular and complex shapes involved. Custom algorithms provides the user with complete control over the seven axis toolpath. This thesis documents the applications of seven axis toolpath generation, presented as a series of case studies, as well as design and development of the aforementioned 3D printing system. The first study examines how tool approach angles and bed angles affect the quality of sample parts containing high angle overhangs. The strength of parts printed while utilizing extra axes is maintained for a given toolpath, while surface quality and overall dimensional accuracy is improved. The second study documents the design, construction, and testing of an oropharyngeal airway, a device that has difficult geometry. Layers that follow the device profile improve strength and eliminate the need for support material. The last case study showcases a workflow for creating patient specific airway stents from patient scan data. These techniques may be useful for many other applications including patient specific anatomy creation, bioprinting, and reworking previously 3D printed objects.Item Supporting data for "3D Bioprinted In Vitro Metastatic Models via Reconstruction of Tumor Microenvironments"(2020-05-29) Meng, Fanben; Meyer, Carolyn M; Joung, Daeha; Vallera, Daniel A; McAlpine, Michael C; Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Angela; mcalpine@umn.edu; McAlpine, Michael C; McAlpine Research GroupThe data set includes the experimental data and the corresponding code files for " 3D Bioprinted In Vitro Metastatic Models via Reconstruction of Tumor Microenvironments", Fanben Meng, Carolyn M Meyer, Daeha Joung, Daniel A Vallera, Michael C McAlpine, Angela Panoskaltsis‐Mortari, Adv. Mater. 2019, 31 (10), 1806899. The development of 3D in vitro models capable of recapitulating native tumor microenvironments could improve the translatability of potential anticancer drugs and treatments. Here, 3D bioprinting techniques are used to build tumor constructs via precise placement of living cells, functional biomaterials, and programmable release capsules. This enables the spatiotemporal control of signaling molecular gradients, thereby dynamically modulating cellular behaviors at a local level. Vascularized tumor models are created to mimic key steps of cancer dissemination (invasion, intravasation, and angiogenesis), based on guided migration of tumor cells and endothelial cells in the context of stromal cells and growth factors. The utility of the metastatic models for drug screening is demonstrated by evaluating the anticancer efficacy of immunotoxins. These 3D vascularized tumor tissues provide a proof-of-concept platform to i) fundamentally explore the molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and metastasis, and ii) preclinically identify therapeutic agents and screen anticancer drugs.Item Supporting data for "3D Printed Deformable Sensors"(2020-04-28) Zhu, Zhijie; Park, Hyun Soo; McAlpine, Michael C; mcalpine@umn.edu; McAlpine, Michael C; McAlpine Research GroupThe data set includes the experimental data and the corresponding code files supporting the results reported in Zhijie Zhu; Hyun Soo Park; Michael C. McAlpine. 3D Printed Deformable Sensors. Sci. Adv., 2020, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba5575. The ability to directly print compliant biomedical devices on live human organs could benefit patient monitoring and wound treatment, which requires the 3D printer to adapt to the various deformations of the biological surface. We developed an in situ 3D printing system that estimates the motion and deformation of the target surface to adapt the toolpath in real time. With this printing system, a hydrogel-based sensor was printed on a porcine lung under respiration-induced deformation. The sensor was compliant to the tissue surface and provided continuous spatial mapping of deformation via electrical impedance tomography. This adaptive 3D printing approach may enhance robot-assisted medical treatments with additive manufacturing capabilities, enabling autonomous and direct printing of wearable electronics and biological materials on and inside the human body.Item Supporting data for "3D Printed Functional and Biological Materials on Moving Freeform Surfaces"(2020-05-13) Zhu, Zhijie; Guo, Shuang-Zhuang; Hirdler, Tessa; Eide, Cindy; Fan, Xiaoxiao; Tolar, Jakub; McAlpine, Michael C; mcalpine@umn.edu; McAlpine, Michael C; McAlpine Research Group; Tolar LaboratoryThe data set includes the experimental data supporting the results reported in Zhu, Zhijie, Shuang‐Zhuang Guo, Tessa Hirdler, Cindy Eide, Xiaoxiao Fan, Jakub Tolar, and Michael C. McAlpine. "3D printed functional and biological materials on moving freeform surfaces." Advanced Materials, 30(23), 1707495. Conventional 3D printing technologies typically rely on open‐loop, calibrate‐then‐print operation procedures. An alternative approach is adaptive 3D printing, which is a closed‐loop method that combines real‐time feedback control and direct ink writing of functional materials in order to fabricate devices on moving freeform surfaces. Here, it is demonstrated that the changes of states in the 3D printing workspace in terms of the geometries and motions of target surfaces can be perceived by an integrated robotic system aided by computer vision. A hybrid fabrication procedure combining 3D printing of electrical connects with automatic pick‐and‐placing of surface‐mounted electronic components yields functional electronic devices on a free‐moving human hand. Using this same approach, cell‐laden hydrogels are also printed on live mice, creating a model for future studies of wound‐healing diseases. This adaptive 3D printing method may lead to new forms of smart manufacturing technologies for directly printed wearable devices on the body and for advanced medical treatments.Item Supporting data for "3D Printed Organ Models with Physical Properties of Tissue and Integrated Sensors"(2020-05-22) Qiu, Kaiyan; Zhao, Zichen; Haghiashtiani, Ghazaleh; Guo, Shuang-Zhuang; He, Mingyu; Su, Ruitao; Zhu, Zhijie; Bhuiyan, Didarul B; Murugan, Paari; Meng, Fanben; Park, Sung Hyun; Chu, Chih-Chang; Ogle, Brenda M; Saltzman, Daniel A; Konety, Badrinath R; Sweet, Robert M; McAlpine, Michael C; mcalpine@umn.edu; McAlpine, Michael C; McAlpine Research GroupThe data set includes the experimental data and the corresponding MRI stereolithography (STL) file supporting the results reported in Kaiyan Qiu; Zichen Zhao; Ghazaleh Haghiashtiani; Shuang-Zhuang Guo; Mingyu He; Ruitao Su; Zhijie Zhu; Didarul B. Bhuiyan; Paari Murugan; Fanben Meng; Sung Hyun Park; Chih-Chang Chu; Brenda M. Ogle; Daniel A. Saltzman; Badrinath R. Konety; Robert M. Sweet; Michael C. McAlpine. 3D Printed Organ Models with Physical Properties of Tissue and Integrated Sensors. Adv. Mater. Technol. 2018, 3, 1700235. The design and development of novel methodologies and customized materials to fabricate patient-specific 3D printed organ models with integrated sensing capabilities could yield advances in smart surgical aids for preoperative planning and rehearsal. Here, we demonstrate 3D printed prostate models with physical properties of tissue and integrated soft electronic sensors using custom-formulated polymeric inks. The models show high quantitative fidelity in static and dynamic mechanical properties, optical characteristics, and anatomical geometries to patient tissues and organs. The models offer tissue-like tactile sensation and behavior and thus can be used for the prediction of organ physical behavior under deformation. The prediction results show good agreement with values obtained from simulations. The models also allow the application of surgical and diagnostic tools to their surface and inner channels. Finally, via the conformal integration of 3D printed soft electronic sensors, pressure applied to the models with surgical tools can be quantitatively measured.Item Supporting data for "3D printed patient-specific aortic root models with internal sensors for minimally invasive applications"(2020-06-09) Haghiashtiani, Ghazaleh; Qiu, Kaiyan; Sanchez, Jorge D Zhingre; Fuenning, Zachary J; Nair, Priya; Ahlberg, Sarah E; Iaizzo, Paul A; McAlpine, Michael C; mcalpine@umn.edu; McAlpine, Michael C; McAlpine Research GroupMinimally invasive surgeries have numerous advantages, yet complications may arise from limited knowledge about the anatomical site targeted for the delivery of therapy. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure for treating aortic stenosis. Here, we demonstrate multi-material 3D printing of patient-specific soft aortic root models with internally-integrated electronic sensor arrays that can augment testing for TAVR preprocedural planning. We evaluated the efficacies of the models by comparing their geometric fidelities with postoperative data from patients, as well as their in vitro hemodynamic performances in cases with and without leaflet calcifications. Furthermore, we uniquely demonstrated that internal sensor arrays can facilitate the optimization of bioprosthetic valve selections and in vitro placements via mapping of the pressures applied on the critical regions of the aortic anatomies. Such models may pave new avenues for mitigating the risks of postoperative complications, as well as facilitating the development of next-generation medical devices.Item Supporting data for "3D Printed Polymer Photodetectors"(2020-05-29) Park, Sung Hyun; Su, Ruitao; Guo, Shuang-Zhuang; Qiu, Kaiyan; Joung, Daeha; Fanben, Meng; McAlpine, Michael C; Jeong, Jaewoo; mcalpine@umn.edu; McAlpine, Michael C; McAlpine Research GroupExtrusion-based 3D printing, an emerging technology, has been previously used in the comprehensive fabrication of light-emitting diodes using various functional inks, without cleanrooms or conventional microfabrication techniques. Here, polymer-based photodetectors exhibiting high performance are fully 3D printed and thoroughly characterized. A semiconducting polymer ink is printed and optimized for the active layer of the photodetector, achieving an external quantum efficiency of 25.3%, which is comparable to that of microfabricated counterparts and yet created solely via a one-pot custom built 3D-printing tool housed under ambient conditions. The devices are integrated into image sensing arrays with high sensitivity and wide field of view, by 3D printing interconnected photodetectors directly on flexible substrates and hemispherical surfaces. This approach is further extended to create integrated multifunctional devices consisting of optically coupled photodetectors and light-emitting diodes, demonstrating for the first time the multifunctional integration of multiple semiconducting device types which are fully 3D printed on a single platform. The 3D-printed optoelectronic devices are made without conventional microfabrication facilities, allowing for flexibility in the design and manufacturing of next-generation wearable and 3D-structured optoelectronics, and validating the potential of 3D printing to achieve high-performance integrated active electronic materials and devices.Item Synthesis of Porous Materials and Their Applications in Electrochemistry and Additive Manufacturing(2020-12) Xiao, HanOpen cellular porous materials, such as polyurethane foams, ceramic membranes, and silicon aerogels, are useful in many applications, such as gas membranes, seawater desalination, and heat insulation, because they often possess exceptionally high surface area per unit mass (>100 m2/g), high porosity (> 90%), and low mass density (< 100 mg/cm3). The simplest porous structures often consist of only a single solid material, which limits the ability to tune properties. To address this issue, fillers and other additives, such as polymers, metal nanoparticles or carbon-based substances, can be incorporated to synthesize composites with desirable properties. Polymer-carbon composites stand out from the rest, partially because the soft portions (polymers) and hard compounds (carbon) often possess distinctive yet synergistic properties. For example, incorporating a small amount (< 1 wt%) of electrically conductive graphene nanoflakes into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer makes the product both mechanically robust and electrically conductive, which are desirable for applications in contact sensors and flexible electronics. Pore size, morphology, isotropy, and porosity are some of the most important factors to consider when evaluating the inherent performance of porous materials. These parameters are largely determined by the processing conditions, such as temperature, concentration of porogen (a templating substance that can be easily removed during post-processing, such as water or salt, leaving behind the pores), and method of synthesis, in addition to the selection of parent solid materials. Templating is one of the many routes employed to synthesize porous structures, where a sacrificial porogen is used to first form a percolating network and is later replaced by air when removed, typically via sublimation or washing. Compared to other routes such as foaming, sol-gel transition, etching or lithography, templating enables the fabrication of complex pore shapes and geometries over large-scales with tunability in the pore size, morphology, and pore connectivity of the final product; therefore, templating is considered one of the most versatile approaches. This thesis outlines the synthesis of open cellular porous polymers and polymer composites using freezing templated methods. We first designed a carbon-polymer aerogel which is highly porous (99.6% porosity), has low density (~ 5 mg/cm3), and is electrically conductive (5.3 ± 3 × 10-2 S/cm), making it an ideal substitute for the metal current-collectors in lithium-ion batteries. Next, we explored strategies to prepare graphene oxide aerogels with aligned microstructures via bi-directional freezing. Simulations were conducted to predict the structure of the aligned aerogel, which agreed reasonably well with experimental results. Lastly, we explored camphene, a solid cyclic hydrocarbon at room temperature, as the solvent and templating agent for 3D printing porous polymers. Upon subliming camphene, the resulting porous network exhibited improved interlayer strength and reduced anisotropy, and the tensile properties were comparable to those of compression-molded samples. This new strategy to prepare porous polymer materials via direct ink writing could be further applied to other common polymers, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, two commercial-grade materials that are very challenging to print via conventional methods.Item Technologies For Cortex-Wide Neural Interfacing(2020-03) Ghanbari, LeilaNeural computations occurring simultaneously across cerebral cortical regions are critical for behavior mediation. While, progress has been made to understand how neural activity in specific cortical regions contributes to behavior, there is a lack of tools that allow chronic and simultaneous monitoring and perturbing of neural activity across cortical regions. Exposing the brain requires surgical precision for large craniotomies without damaging underlying tissue. In this thesis, we introduce computer numeric controlled (CNC) robotic surgery platforms developed to automatically perform precise craniotomies in mice based on individualized skull surface profiles, enabling optical access to large brain regions. We also present “See-Shells,” digitally designed and morphologically realistic transparent polymer skulls that allow chronic (>300 days) optical access to 45 mm2 of the dorsal cerebral cortex in the mouse. We demonstrate the ability to perform neural mesoscopic and two-photon imaging across the cortex using See-Shells. “Perforated See-Shells” enable the introduction of neural probes to perturb or record neural activity during whole cortex imaging. All these technologies can be constructed with common desktop fabrication tools and collectively serve as a pipeline for an abundance of investigations into the brain.