Manipulating Microrobots Using Balanced Magnetic and Buoyancy Forces

作者：Feng, Lin; Wu, Xiaocong; Jiang, Yonggang^*; Zhang, Deyuan; Arai, Fumihito

来源：Micromachines, 2018, 9(2): 50.

DOI：10.3390/mi9020050

• micro-robot
• three-dimension manipulation
• microfluidic chip

We present a novel method for the three-dimensional (3D) control of microrobots within a microfluidic chip. The microrobot body contains a hollow space, producing buoyancy that allows it to float in a microfluidic environment. The robot moves in the z direction by balancing magnetic and buoyancy forces. In coordination with the motion of stages in the xy plane, we achieved 3D microrobot control. A microgripper designed to grasp micron-scale objects was attached to the front of the robot, allowing it to hold and deliver micro-objects in three dimensions. The microrobot had four degrees of freedom and generated micronewton-order forces. We demonstrate the microrobot's utility in an experiment in which it grips a 200 m particle and delivers it in a 3D space.

• 出版日期2018-2
• 单位北京航空航天大学