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Miniaturization of Implantable Micro-Robot Propulsion Using a Wireless Power Transfer System
Dongwook Kim1, Karam Hwang2, Jaehyoung Park3
1The Cho Chun Shik Graduate School for Green Transportation, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea. dwkim88@kaist.ac.kr.
Micromachines
|November 8, 2018
Summary
Researchers developed an optimized coil design for millimeter-sized micro-robots, enabling simultaneous propulsion, torque generation, and wireless power transfer. This efficient design maximizes force for micro-robot applications.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Electrical Engineering
- Micro-robotics
Background:
- Micro-robots require efficient propulsion and energy systems for various applications.
- Wireless power transfer is crucial for untethered micro-robot operation.
- Optimizing coil design is key to enhancing micro-robot performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design an efficient coil for a millimeter-sized micro-robot.
- To enable simultaneous propulsion, torque generation, and wireless power transfer.
- To analyze and optimize coil structures for maximum force generation.
Main Methods:
- Modeling of helical and spiral coil structures.
- Derivation of analytical formulations for propulsion force and torque.
- Dimensional analysis of dominant factors affecting force and torque.
- Simulations and experimental verification of the optimized coil design.
Main Results:
- An optimum coil structure was developed for maximum propulsion force and torque.
- The design enables simultaneous wireless power transfer to the micro-robot.
- Simulations and experiments confirmed the coil design's effectiveness.
- A 3-mm micro-robot was successfully fabricated and verified.
Conclusions:
- The proposed coil design offers an efficient solution for micro-robot propulsion and energy.
- This advancement facilitates untethered operation and enhanced functionality of micro-robots.
- The study provides a validated method for optimizing micro-robot coil design.
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