Biomimetic Wave Propagation in Magnetic Soft Actuator

Abstract

In this paper, a simple but effective method is proposed to generate a bio-mimic wave propagating motion in a magnetic soft actuator. Two examples, a metachronal wave in artificial cilia and a crawling motion of an artificial caterpillar, are shown as demonstrations. These are kinds of wave propagating motions which are popular in natural systems and are also primitive systems of natural creatures. In the proposed system, an elastic material and a magnetic powder were used to fabricate a flexible magnetic structure. There are 2 essential features in the system; one is periodic arrangement of magnetic anisotropy, and the other is application of a rotating magnetic field. Using this method of wave generation, we realized drastic change in flow making behavior of artificial cilia and a crawling motion very similar to living caterpillars. The proposed system would be useful to enhance the field of the bio-mimic soft robotics.