System and method for perturbing a permanent magnet asymmetric field to move a body

A system for rotating a body to perform work, the rotating body configured to rotate about a rotation axis, comprising:

• at least one permanent magnet asymmetric field device disposed on the rotating body a predetermined distance from the rotation axis, the device comprising:
• a permanent magnet arrangement having at least three permanent magnets;
• and
• a perturbation element having one end disposed in the magnetic arrangement and having an opposite end which extends outside of the arrangement and outside of the device;
• wherein the at least three permanent magnets are configured such that an asymmetric magnetic field is generated by the permanent magnets about a perturbation point, wherein two of the three permanent magnets are polarized in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and one of the three permanent magnets is polarized in an axial direction parallel to the rotation axis, and wherein actuation of the perturbation element at or near the perturbation point with an input force causes the perturbation element to interact with the asymmetric magnetic field which causes a tangential magnetic output force on the device, thereby causing the rotating body to rotate about the rotation axis;
• an actuation input device configured to actuate the perturbation element thereby causing rotation of the rotating body.

A system for rotating a first shaft connected to a rotating body, the first shaft and rotating body configured to rotate about a rotation axis, comprising:

• at least one permanent magnet asymmetric field device disposed on the rotating body a predetermined distance from the rotation axis, the device comprising:
• a permanent magnet arrangement having at least three permanent magnets;
• and
• a perturbation element having one end disposed in the magnetic arrangement and having an opposite end which extends outside of the arrangement and outside of the device;
• wherein the at least three permanent magnets are configured such that an asymmetric magnetic field is generated by the permanent magnets about a perturbation point, wherein two of the three permanent magnets are polarized in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and one of the three permanent magnets is polarized in an axial direction parallel to the rotation axis, and wherein actuation of the perturbation element at or near the perturbation point with an input force causes the perturbation element to interact with the asymmetric magnetic field which causes a tangential magnetic output force on the device, thereby causing the rotating body to rotate about the rotation axis and causing the first shaft to rotate;
• and
• a second shaft configured to rotate about the rotation axis, the second shaft comprising means for mechanically actuating the perturbation element thereby causing rotation of the rotating body and the first shaft.