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US 10,584,688 B2Granted
Manipulation of flexible materials through self-propelled bodies
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsSho C. Takatori, John F. Brady
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system is described comprising self-propelled bodies such as bacteria or nanoparticles, which can be activated with an external field to move in a desired direction. The self-propelled bodies, or swimmers, are contained in a flexible membrane which is mechanically manipulated through the movement of the swimmers. By controlling the applied field, which can be magnetic, chemical or gravitational, the flexible membranes can be translated and/or deformed.
Claims4
A method comprising:
- inserting a plurality of self-propelled bodies within a flexible material enclosure, the flexible material enclosure being permeable to a solvent;
- applying a field to the plurality of self-propelled bodies while in the solvent, thereby applying a force to the flexible material enclosure, by the plurality of self-propelled bodies, the force being normal to a surface of the flexible material enclosure and directed outward relative to the flexible material enclosure;
- translating the flexible material enclosure based on the force;
- and
- rotating the applied field with a rotation rate of value Ωext, thus inducing an angular velocity in the plurality of self-propelled bodies of value Ωc,
- wherein rotating the applied field comprises:
- applying a rotation ratio Ωext/Ωc>>1, the rotation ratio being selected such that the flexible material enclosure changes shape while its translational velocity direction changes stepwise.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.