An ultrasonically powered micropump for on-demand in-situ drug delivery

In this paper, we introduce an ultrasonically powered micropump that enables in-situ drug delivery via an electrolytic mechanism. The pump has overall dimensions of 2.2×0.7×0.5 cm
³
including a 13 μL drug reservoir and is powered/controlled wirelessly through an external ultrasonic transducer 11 cm away. Upon activation, the micropump dispenses drug at a flow rate of 0.23 μL/s and can sustain backpressures of up to 30 Torr. The pump and associated circuitry is fabricated with laser-assisted rapid prototyping techniques, allowing for low-cost production.