Yan J, Zhang Y, Liu Z, Wang J, Xu J, Yu L. Ultracompact single-nanowire-morphed grippers driven by vectorial Lorentz forces for dexterous robotic manipulations.
Nat Commun 2023;
14:3786. [PMID:
37355640 DOI:
10.1038/s41467-023-39524-z]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultracompact and soft pairwise grippers, capable of swift large-amplitude multi-dimensional maneuvering, are widely needed for high-precision manipulation, assembly and treatment of microscale objects. In this work, we demonstrate the simplest construction of such robotic structures, shaped via a single-nanowire-morphing and powered by geometry-tailored Lorentz vectorial forces. This has been accomplished via a designable folding growth of ultralong and ultrathin silicon NWs into single and nested omega-ring structures, which can then be suspended upon electrode frames and coated with silver metal layer to carry a passing current along geometry-tailored pathway. Within a magnetic field, the grippers can be driven by the Lorentz forces to demonstrate swift large-amplitude maneuvers of grasping, flapping and twisting of microscale objects, as well as high-frequency or even resonant vibrations to overcome sticky van de Waals forces in microscale for a reliable releasing of carried payloads. More sophisticated and functional teamwork of mutual alignment, precise passing and selective light-emitting-diode unit testing and installation were also successfully accomplished via pairwise gripper collaborations. This single-nanowire-morphing strategy provides an ideal platform to rapidly design, construct and prototype a wide range of advanced ultracompact nanorobotic, mechanical sensing and biological manipulation functionalities.
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