Related papers: 3D Modular Microrobots: Micro-Origami Cubes with I…
Design of robots at the small scale is a trial-and-error based process, which is costly and time-consuming. There are few dynamic simulation tools available to accurately predict the motion or performance of untethered microrobots as they…
Lablets are autonomous microscopic particles with programmable CMOS electronics that canvcontrol electrokinetic phenomena and electrochemical reactions in solution via actuator and sensor microelectrodes. The lablets are designed to be…
The advent of 3D printing has revolutionized many industries and has had similar improvements for soft robots. However, many challenges persist for these functional devices. Magnetic soft robots require the addition of magnetic particles…
Microscopic active droplets are able to swim autonomously in viscous flows: this puzzling feature stems from solute exchanges with the surrounding fluid via surface reactions or their spontaneous solubilisation, and the interfacial flows…
Machines enabled the Industrial Revolution and are central to modern technological progress: A machine's parts transmit forces, motion, and energy to one another in a predetermined manner. Today's engineering frontier, building artificial…
Electromagnetic metasurfaces can be characterized as intelligent if they are able to perform multiple tunable functions, with the desired response being controlled by a computer influencing the individual electromagnetic properties of each…
Small satellites such as CubeSats pose demanding requirements on the weight, size, and multifunctionality of their structures due to extreme constraints on the payload mass and volume. To address this challenge, we introduce a concept of…
Gears and cogwheels restrain degrees of freedom and channel power into a specified motion. They are fundamental components of macroscopic machines. Interlocking microrotors similarly constitute key elements toward feasible micromachinery.…
Silicon is an excellent material for microelectronics and integrated photonics with untapped potential for mid-IR optics. Despite broad recognition of the importance of the third dimension, current lithography methods do not allow…
Developing soft robots that can control their own life-cycle and degrade on-demand while maintaining hyper-elasticity is a significant research challenge. On-demand degradable soft robots, which conserve their original functionality during…
Building intelligent autonomous systems at any scale is challenging. The sensing and computation constraints of a microrobot platform make the problems harder. We present improvements to learning-based methods for on-board learning of…
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…
The principal aim of this Master's thesis is to propel the optimization of the membrane wing structure of the Northeastern Aerobat through origami techniques and enhancing its capacity for secure hovering within confined spaces.…
Magnetic microrobots that swim through liquid media are of interest for minimally invasive medical procedures, bioengineering, and manufacturing. Many of the envisaged applications, such as micromanipulation and targeted cargo delivery,…
Modularity in robotics holds great potential. In principle, modular robots can be disassembled and reassembled in different robots, and possibly perform new tasks. Nevertheless, actually exploiting modularity is yet an unsolved problem:…
There is a growing need for robots that can change their shape, size and mechanical properties to adapt to evolving tasks and environments. However, current shape-changing systems generally utilize bespoke, system-specific mechanisms that…
Microrobots hold promise for applications ranging from targeted delivery to enhanced mixing at the microscale. However, current fabrication techniques suffer from limited throughput and material selection. Here, we demonstrate a versatile…
Electro-optic modulation performs a technological relevant functionality such as for communication, beam steering, or neuromorphic computing through providing the nonlinear activation function of a perceptron. Wile Silicon photonics enabled…
To achieve real-world functionality, robots must have the ability to carry out decision-making computations. However, soft robots stretch and therefore need a solution other than rigid computers. Examples of embedding computing capacity…
Capsule robots are promising tools for minimally invasive diagnostics and therapy, with applications from gastrointestinal endoscopy to targeted drug delivery and biopsy sampling. Conventional magnetic capsule robots embed bulky permanent…