Nanomagnetic encoding of shape-morphing micromachines
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Date
2019-11-07
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
Shape-morphing systems, which can perform complex tasks through morphological transformations, are of great interest for future applications in minimally invasive medicine, soft robotics, active metamaterials and smart surfaces. With current fabrication methods, shape-morphing configurations have been embedded into structural design by, for example, spatial distribution of heterogeneous materials9, which cannot be altered once fabricated. The systems are therefore restricted to a single type of transformation that is predetermined by their geometry. Here we develop a strategy to encode multiple shape-morphing instructions into a micromachine by programming the magnetic configurations of arrays of single-domain nanomagnets on connected panels. This programming is achieved by applying a specific sequence of magnetic fields to nanomagnets with suitably tailored switching fields, and results in specific shape transformations of the customized micromachines under an applied magnetic field. Using this concept, we have built an assembly of modular units that can be programmed to morph into letters of the alphabet, and we have constructed a microscale ‘bird’ capable of complex behaviours, including ‘flapping’, ‘hovering’, ‘turning’ and ‘side-slipping’. This establishes a route for the creation of future intelligent microsystems that are reconfigurable and reprogrammable in situ, and that can therefore adapt to complex situations.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
575 (7781)
Pages / Article No.
164 - 168
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Nature
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Software
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Date collected
Date created
Subject
Organisational unit
03997 - Heyderman, Laura / Heyderman, Laura
03627 - Nelson, Bradley J. / Nelson, Bradley J.
Notes
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher.
Funding
743217 - Soft Micro Robotics (EC)
165564 - Soft Magnetic Robots: Modeling, Design and Control of Magnetically Guided Continuum Manipulators (SNF)
165564 - Soft Magnetic Robots: Modeling, Design and Control of Magnetically Guided Continuum Manipulators (SNF)