Related papers: Programmable Motion of Optically Gated Electricall…
Herein we demonstrate the ability to optically tune the mobility of electrically powered Janus particles (JP) that are half coated with various Zinc Oxide (ZnO) semiconducting layers, i.e. polycrystalline, amorphous and amorphous with a…
To develop active nanomaterials that can instantly respond to external stimuli with designed mechanical motions is an important step towards the realization of nanomachines and nanorobots. Herein, we present our finding of a versatile…
This fluid dynamics video showcases how optically induced electrokinetic forces can be used to drive three-dimensional micro-vortices. The strong microfluidic vortices are used constructively in conjunction with other electrokinetic forces…
Microorganisms are able to overcome the thermal randomness of their surroundings by harvesting energy to navigate in viscous fluid environments. In a similar manner, synthetic colloidal microswimmers are capable of mimicking complex…
Techniques to mold the flow of light on subwavelength scales enable fundamentally new optical systems and device applications. The realization of programmable, active optical systems with fast, tunable components is among the outstanding…
Semiconductor microelectronics are emerging as a powerful tool for building smart, autonomous robots too small to see with the naked eye. Yet a number of existing microrobot platforms, despite significant advantages in speed, robustness,…
Active systems contain self-propelled particles and can spontaneously self-organize into patterns making them attractive candidates for the self-assembly of smart soft materials. One key limitation of our present understanding of these…
True microrobots, in contrast with externally controlled microparticles, must harvest or carry their own source of energy, as well as their own (preferably programmable) microcontroller of actuators for locomotion, using information…
Self-propelling active particles are an exciting and interdisciplinary emerging area of research with projected biomedical and environmental applications. Due to their autonomous motion, control over these active particles that are free to…
Reducing energy dissipation is a central goal of classical and quantum technologies. Optics achieved great success in bringing down power consumption of long-distance communication links. With the rise of mobile, quantum and cloud…
Self-propelled colloidal objects, such as motile bacteria or synthetic microswimmers, have microscopically irreversible individual dynamics - a feature they share with all living systems. The incoherent behaviour of individual swimmers can…
Artificial microswimmers are a new technology with promising microfluidics and biomedical applications, such as directed cargo transport, microscale assembly, and targeted drug delivery. A fundamental barrier to realising this potential is…
When swimming at low Reynolds numbers, inertial effects are negligible and reciprocal movements cannot induce net motion. Instead, symmetry breaking is necessary to achieve net propulsion. Directed swimming can be supported by magnetic…
We report guiding and manipulation of charged particle beams by means of electrostatic optics based on a principle similar to the electrodynamic Paul trap. We use hundreds of electrodes fabricated on planar substrates and supplied with…
We present an innovative robotic device designed to provide controlled motion for studying active matter. Motion is driven by an internal vibrator powered by a small rechargeable battery. The system integrates acoustic and magnetic sensors…
This fluid dynamics video showcases how optically induced electrowetting can be used to manipulate liquid droplets in open space and particulate phases inside the droplet. A photoconductive layer is added to a conventional…
Optical beam steering is key for optical communications, laser mapping (LIDAR), and medical imaging. For these applications, integrated photonics is an enabling technology that can provide miniaturized, lighter, lower cost, and more power…
While the collective motion of active particles has been studied extensively, effective strategies to navigate particle swarms without external guidance remain elusive. We introduce a method to control the trajectories of two-dimensional…
We consider sedimented at a solid wall particles that are immersed in water containing small additives of photosensitive ionic surfactants. It is shown that illumination with an appropriate wavelength, a beam intensity profile, shape and…
Cells control fluid flows with a spatial and temporal precision that far exceeds the capabilities of current microfluidic technologies. Cells achieve this superior spatio-temporal control by harnessing dynamic networks of cytoskeleton and…