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Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions
Published on: January 18, 2017
Fabrication, control, and modeling of robots inspired by flagella and cilia
Sangmin Lim1, Yayun Du1, Yongkyu Lee1
1Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Westwood Plaza, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America.
Abstract:
Flagella and cilia are slender structures that serve important functionalities in the microscopic world through their locomotion induced by fluid and structure interaction. With recent developments in microscopy, fabrication, biology, and modeling capability, robots inspired by the locomotion of these organelles in low Reynolds number flow have been manufactured and tested on the micro-and macro-scale, ranging from medicalin vivomicrobots, microfluidics to macro prototypes. We present a collection of modeling theories, control principles, and fabrication methods for flagellated and ciliary robots.
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