Page 20 - manuscript_ijb05589
P. 20

± 113 µm to 119 ± 57 µm at 3 mm. This suggests that mechanical instability and vibrations in the

               robotic arm play an important role in accuracy limitations. This issue could potentially be mitigated
               by using a robotic arm that is less susceptible to vibration, or by employing a separate end-effector

               dedicated to z-positioning, thus decoupling vertical adjustments from general motion.

               In  experiments  conducted  without  Z-position  adjustment,  the  mobile  LIST  printer  operated

               smoothly at frequencies up to 30 Hz, which corresponds to the maximum repetition rate of our

               current laser system. Based on the observed pinch-off times, frequencies as high as 800 Hz appear
               to be theoretically feasible, although this has yet to be experimentally confirmed.


               We employed an FDA-approved dye to enhance the model ink’s absorption coefficient at 532 nm.
               While effective for energy absorption, this dye imparts a red coloration to the printed constructs.

               The dye does not pose biocompatibility concerns  26-28,34,35 , but the coloration may not be entirely

               washable from some matrices. This may limit the use of this approach in applications that require
               high optical transparency. One potential solution is to shift to mid-infrared laser sources, where

               water exhibits a much higher absorption coefficient   52,53 . These wavelengths have already been
               successfully applied in donor-free LIFT bioprinting  54,55 , suggesting a promising path forward for

               dye-free LIST.




               5. Conclusion


               In conclusion, we successfully developed and validated a mobile, laser-assisted DoD printing head
               integrated with a robotic arm and an optical distance sensor. Printing volumes for model inks with

               viscosities up to 165 cP were in the nanoliter range. Higher viscosities required increased laser
               energy and resulted in longer jet pinch-off times. Our results highlight that maintaining a printing

               head-to-target distance below 3 mm is essential for preserving print quality, and that our dynamic

               distance  compensation  effectively  mitigates  printing  quality  loss  on  targets  simulating
               physiological  motion.  This  compact,  mobile  DoD  system  can  facilitate  in  situ  bioprinting

               applications in dynamic physiological environments.








                                                             19
   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25