Thomas Velten

Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Thomas Velten is a pioneer in micro-robotics, with a career dedicated to shrinking the boundaries of automation to the cellular level. His research focuses on the design and control of autonomous micro-robots for biological cell manipulation, a field where he has made foundational contributions. Velten’s most cited work, "MICRON: Small Autonomous Robot for Cell Manipulation Applications" (2005, 80 citations), introduced a novel, mobile platform that overcomes the limitations of stationary micromanipulation systems, enabling multi-robot approaches for precise tasks like cell injection and DNA transfer. This work is a cornerstone in the development of untethered micro-robots for biomedical applications. In related studies, such as "Manipulating biological cells with a micro-robot cluster" (2005), he explored cooperative strategies for automated cell handling, integrating vision and control systems to achieve high-throughput manipulation. Velten’s impact is evident in the continued relevance of his MICRON platform, which has inspired subsequent generations of micro-robots for drug delivery, single-cell analysis, and tissue engineering. His achievements demonstrate a unique ability to merge mechanical design, control theory, and biology, making him a key figure in the advancement of micro-robotics for life sciences.