Structured light enables biomimetic swimming and versatile locomotion of photoresponsive soft microrobots

Year: 2016

Authors: Palagi S., Mark A.G., Reigh S.Y., Melde K., Qiu T., Zeng H., Parmeggiani C., Martella D., Sanchez-Castillo A., Kapernaum N., Giesselmann F., Wiersma D., Lauga E., Fischer P.

Autors Affiliation: Max Planck Inst Intelligent Syst, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Univ Cambridge, Ctr Math Sci, Dept Appl Math & Theoret Phys, Cambridge CB3 0WA, England; Ecole Polytech Fed Lausanne, Inst Bioengn, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Univ Florence, European Lab Non Linear Spect LENS, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; CNR INO, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Univ Stuttgart, Inst Phys Chem, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.

Abstract: Microorganisms move in challenging environments by periodic changes in body shape. In contrast, current artificial microrobots cannot actively deform, exhibiting at best passive bending under external fields. Here, by taking advantage of the wireless, scalable and spatiotemporally selective capabilities that light allows, we show that soft microrobots consisting of photoactive liquid-crystal elastomers can be driven by structured monochromatic light to perform sophisticated biomimetic motions. We realize continuum yet selectively addressable artificial microswimmers that generate travelling-wave motions to self-propel without external forces or torques, as well as microrobots capable of versatile locomotion behaviours on demand. Both theoretical predictions and experimental results confirm that multiple gaits, mimicking either symplectic or antiplectic metachrony of ciliate protozoa, can be achieved with single microswimmers. The principle of using structured light can be extended to other applications that require microscale actuation with sophisticated spatiotemporal coordination for advanced microrobotic technologies.

Journal/Review: NATURE MATERIALS

Volume: 15 (6)      Pages from: 647  to: 653

More Information: This work was in part supported by the European Research Council under the ERC Grant agreements 278213 and 291349, and the DFG as part of the project SPP 1726 (microswimmers, FI 196 6/1-1). S.P. acknowledges support by the Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems. We thank A. Posada for help with the movies and figures.
KeyWords: Liquid crystals, Biomimetic motion; Biomimetic swimming; Liquid crystal elastomers; Monochromatic light; Periodic changes; Photo-responsive; Spatio-temporal coordination; Travelling waves, Biomimetics, biomimetic material, ciliate; devices; procedures; robotics; swimming, Biomimetic Materials; Ciliophora; Robotics; Swimming
DOI: 10.1038/NMAT4569

Citations: 730
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