Design of selectively controllable micro actuators powered by remote resonant magnetic fields

Abstract

Micro actuators for tiny robots could lead to revolutionary advances in many cutting-edge applications (e.g. minimally invasive medicine). Many prototypes were hence developed, which were powered either by micro organism, by onboard mechatronic systems or by remote magnetic fields. This paper presents two evolving designs, aiming at fabricating micro actuators which can be selectively controlled by weak resonant magnetic fields. The core concept is to design a spring-mass structure to convert the vibrations of soft magnets into rotary outputs. The fabricated micro actuators could then drive propellers or revolute joints for locomotion or manipulation tasks. The proposed designs essentially directly harvest magnetic energy to perform mechanical work, avoiding complex system components from traditional motorized actuation units, such as windings, commutators, batteries, etc. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.