Combined Locomotion and Direction Control of Ferrofluidic Robots

As the characteristics of low invasiveness, good controllability and deformability, ferrofluid robots have enormous potential for technological applications in the medical field. With the volume of ferromagnetic fluid robots increases, a motion control strategy coupled with magnetic moment and gradient force is usually adopted which makes it impossible for the robot to perform complex movements and limits the application of the ferrofluid robot. By designing a control system that decouples magnetic torque and magnetic gradient force, joint control of the locomotion and direction of a ferrofluid robot has been achieved. The results indicate that the miniature ferrofluid robot (MFR) has achieved directional controllable trajectory motion and ultimately achieved autonomous path selection. These extended functions can further promote the medical application of micro robots in closed and complex environments such as human blood vessels.