Magnetic Shaftless Propeller Millirobot with Multimodal Motion for Small-Scale Fluidic Manipulation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Robotics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Magnetic miniature robots show promise for biomedical uses.
• A key challenge is achieving balanced multimodal locomotion and fluidic manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a magnetic shaftless propeller-like millirobot (MSPM) with untethered multimodal locomotion and fluidic manipulation capabilities.
• To enable controlled cargo transportation and fluid pumping for biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Designed a shaftless propeller structure for the millirobot.
• Utilized magnetic actuation for untethered control.
• Engineered propeller for rolling, propelling, and tumbling locomotion.
• Integrated pumping function for fluid and particle manipulation.

Main Results:

• The MSPM demonstrated rotating-based multimodal 3D motion.
• Achieved omnidirectional locomotion through rolling, propelling, and tumbling.
• Successfully performed fluidic manipulation and controllable cargo transportation via pumping action.

Conclusions:

• The developed MSPM offers a promising solution for untethered multimodal locomotion and fluidic manipulation.
• Potential applications include minimally invasive thrombosis treatment and targeted medicine delivery.
• The shaftless propeller design enhances versatility in various environments.