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Design and Characterization of Magnetically Actuated Helical Swimmers at Submillimeter-scale

Lefeng Wang, Huichao Xu, Wenhe Zhai, Bensong Huang, Weibin Rong
  

  1. State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
  • 收稿日期:2016-06-03 修回日期:2016-12-03 出版日期:2017-01-10 发布日期:2017-01-10
  • 通讯作者: Lefeng Wang E-mail:lefengwang@hit.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:Lefeng Wang, Huichao Xu, Wenhe Zhai, Bensong Huang, Weibin Rong

Design and Characterization of Magnetically Actuated Helical Swimmers at Submillimeter-scale

Lefeng Wang, Huichao Xu, Wenhe Zhai, Bensong Huang, Weibin Rong#br#   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
  • Received:2016-06-03 Revised:2016-12-03 Online:2017-01-10 Published:2017-01-10
  • Contact: Lefeng Wang E-mail:lefengwang@hit.edu.cn
  • About author:Lefeng Wang, Huichao Xu, Wenhe Zhai, Bensong Huang, Weibin Rong

摘要: Bacteria with helical flagella show an ideal mechanism to swim at low Reynolds number. For application of artificial microswimmers, it is desirable to identify effects of structural and geometrical parameters on the swimming performance. In this study, a double-end helical swimmer is proposed based on the usual single-end helical one to improve the forward-backward motion symmetry. The propulsion model of the artificial helical microswimmer is described. Influences of each helix parameter on the swimming velocity and propulsion efficiency are further analyzed. The optimal design for achieving a maximum propulsion velocity of submillimeter scale swimmers is performed based on some constraints. An experimental setup consisting of three-pair of Helmholtz coils is built for the helical microswimmers. Experiments of microswimmers with several groups of parameters were performed, and the results show the validity of the analysis and design.

关键词: double-end helical microswimmers, magnetic actuation, swimming velocity, optimal design

Abstract: Bacteria with helical flagella show an ideal mechanism to swim at low Reynolds number. For application of artificial microswimmers, it is desirable to identify effects of structural and geometrical parameters on the swimming performance. In this study, a double-end helical swimmer is proposed based on the usual single-end helical one to improve the forward-backward motion symmetry. The propulsion model of the artificial helical microswimmer is described. Influences of each helix parameter on the swimming velocity and propulsion efficiency are further analyzed. The optimal design for achieving a maximum propulsion velocity of submillimeter scale swimmers is performed based on some constraints. An experimental setup consisting of three-pair of Helmholtz coils is built for the helical microswimmers. Experiments of microswimmers with several groups of parameters were performed, and the results show the validity of the analysis and design.

Key words: double-end helical microswimmers, magnetic actuation, swimming velocity, optimal design