Reprogramming magnetic cilia to change their movement (IMAGE)
Caption
Magnetic cilia – artificial hairs whose movement is powered by embedded magnetic particles – have been around for a while, and are of interest for applications in soft robotics, transporting objects and mixing liquids. However, existing magnetic cilia move in a fixed way. Researchers have now demonstrated a technique for creating magnetic cilia that can be “reprogrammed,” changing their magnetic properties at room temperature to change the motion of the cilia as needed. The images here show changes in the bending of NdFeB-based magnetic cilia magnetized pointing upward in horizontal magnetic fields.
Credit
Matthew R. Clary, North Carolina State University
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