Researchers in Germany have theoretically analysed micropropellers, that can be controlled and steered using external magnetic fields to identify an optimum control strategy. The micropropellers are highly promising for microrobotic actuation with a variety of applications, including targeted drug delivery and nanosurgery.
Vach et al, using analytical results and simulations, find that a few micrometers of precision might be possible. They also estimate the limitations on this precision due to diffusion, errors in the field application, and interactions between propellers. The below figure show the visualization of simulations for five magnetic micropropellers illustrating (a – c) the interesting patterns they produce: intertwined pentagons surrounded by a decagon, and (d – f) the associated propeller properties.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Thumbnail image (adapted) and image in post from Peter J Vach et al 2016 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 49 065003. Both copyright IOP Publishing 2016.
Categories: Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics