Open AccessBattery‐Less Soft Millirobot That Can Move, Sense, and Communicate Remotely by Coupling the Magnetic and Piezoelectric Effects
Author(s) -
Lu Haojian,
Hong Ying,
Yang Yuanyuan,
Yang Zhengbao,
Shen Yajing
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.202000069
Subject(s) - wireless , battery (electricity) , robot , computer science , coupling (piping) , power (physics) , inductive coupling , robotics , sense (electronics) , electrical engineering , piezoelectricity , soft robotics , energy harvesting , engineering , telecommunications , artificial intelligence , mechanical engineering , physics , quantum mechanics
Abstract The soft millirobot is a promising candidate for emerging applications in various in‐vivo/vitro biomedical settings. Despite recent success in its design and actuation, the absence of sensing ability makes it still far from being a reality. Here, a radio frequency identification (RFID) based battery‐less soft millirobot that can move, sense, and communicate remotely by coupling the magnetic and piezoelectric effects is reported. This design integrates the robot actuation and power generation units within a thin multilayer film (<0.5 mm), i.e., a lower magnetic composite limb decorated with multiple feet imparts locomotion and a flexible piezoceramic composite film recovers energy simultaneously. Under a trigger of external magnetic guidance, the millirobot can achieve remote locomotion, environment monitoring, and wireless communication with no requirement of any on‐board battery or external wired power supply. Furthermore, this robot demonstrates the sensing capability in measuring environment temperature and contact interface by two different sensing models, i.e., carried‐on and build‐in sensing mode, respectively. This research represents a remarkable advance in the emerging area of untethered soft robotics, benefiting a broad spectrum of promising applications, such as in‐body monitoring, diagnosis, and drug delivery.