Turning performance of fish-type microrobot driven by external magnetic field

Abstract

A new turning method based on hydrodynamics was applied for a magnetically driven fish-type microrobot. The swimming propulsor of the robot consists of a magnet and a cantilever with a caudal fin, and can be driven by external alternating magnetic fields. In order to realize a fish-like turning, the fin motion was controlled by the waveform of the external magnetic fields. Two waveform patterns of the magnetic fields were designed for the turning by the caudal fin. As a result of the water tank test, the microrobot showed good turning performance under both waveform patterns.