title: Versatile microrobotics using simple modular subunits.
abstract: The realization of reconfigurable modular microrobots could aid drug delivery and microsurgery by allowing a single system to navigate diverse environments and perform multiple tasks. So far, microrobotic systems are limited by insufficient versatility; for instance, helical shapes commonly used for magnetic swimmers cannot effectively assemble and disassemble into different size and shapes. Here by using microswimmers with simple geometries constructed of spherical particles, we show how magnetohydrodynamics can be used to assemble and disassemble modular microrobots with different physical characteristics. We develop a mechanistic physical model that we use to improve assembly strategies. Furthermore, we experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of dynamically changing the physical properties of microswimmers through assembly and disassembly in a controlled fluidic environment. Finally, we show that different configurations have different swimming properties by examining swimming speed dependence on configuration size.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Mechanical Engineering &Mechanics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: U Kei
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Cheang
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
authors.forename: Farshad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meshkati
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA.
authors.forename: Hoyeon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Computer Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoungwoo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
authors.forename: Henry Chien
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA.
authors.forename: Min Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim