Multifunctional origami magnetic-responsive soft actuators with modular designs

Abstract

Soft actuators and stimuli responsive materials are highlighted in the research field for their enormous potential in transit tasks, sensing, and biomedical devices, particularly the magnetic responsive soft actuators driven by magnetic force remotely. Nevertheless, the further study of magnetic responsive actuators with complex three-dimensional geometries and multiple functions is still limited by uncomplicated design and flexible locomotion. This work provides a novel scheme integrating the origami method and modular designs, which defines the inner properties of magnetic material, extending the functions of magnetic responsive actuators with various modules. The directions of the inner magnetic moments can be programmed and the deformation degrees can be regulated by this approach, which promotes the fabrication of complicated soft actuators with multiple functions by integrating with modular designs. Especially, a movable actuator with various sensing modulus is designed by the origami method, which can perform the sensing application to external ultra-violet (UV), heat, and UV stimuli. Moreover, a microneedle modular actuator which can be controlled wirelessly by a magnetic field was demonstrated for the potential application in the biomedical field. This proposed scheme for engineering magnetic responsive material with modular designs has shown great potential to improve the feasibility, versatility, and multiple functionalities of soft actuators.