TY - JOUR
T1 - Theoretical Perspectives on Natural and Artificial Micro-swimmers
AU - Liu, Jinan
AU - Fu, Yiqiang
AU - Liu, Xiongjun
AU - Ruan, Haihui
N1 - Funding Information:
The first author is supported by the General Research Fund of Hong Kong RGC (Grant No. 15213619). The second author is supported by the postdoctoral scheme of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Project ID: P0034926). The studies presented in this work are supported by the NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme (RGC: and NSFC: 51961160729). The authors are grateful for these financial supports.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - The observations of microorganisms revealed how they swim. As inspired by them, studies on artificial micro-robots with various actuation mechanisms have been thriving. To elucidate the essential concepts in understanding the dynamic behaviors of natural and artificial micro-swimmers—so as to control the latter in future applications, in this paper, we summarize the historical achievements and describe our theoretical perspectives. We first introduce the studies on microorganisms and their propulsion mechanisms. After reviewing the basic principles and the development of the understanding of them, we take the flagellated micro-swimmers as an example to elaborate on the theories of their locomotion. We review the progress in actuation strategies of artificial flagellated micro-swimmers and then propose two possible strategies to realize the turning of a flagellated micro-swimmer—the key step toward steerability through remote fields. Finally, we describe the inadequacies of the investigations on this topic and our perspectives on future developments.
AB - The observations of microorganisms revealed how they swim. As inspired by them, studies on artificial micro-robots with various actuation mechanisms have been thriving. To elucidate the essential concepts in understanding the dynamic behaviors of natural and artificial micro-swimmers—so as to control the latter in future applications, in this paper, we summarize the historical achievements and describe our theoretical perspectives. We first introduce the studies on microorganisms and their propulsion mechanisms. After reviewing the basic principles and the development of the understanding of them, we take the flagellated micro-swimmers as an example to elaborate on the theories of their locomotion. We review the progress in actuation strategies of artificial flagellated micro-swimmers and then propose two possible strategies to realize the turning of a flagellated micro-swimmer—the key step toward steerability through remote fields. Finally, we describe the inadequacies of the investigations on this topic and our perspectives on future developments.
KW - Artificial micro-swimmer
KW - External field actuation
KW - Manipulation strategies
KW - Natural micro-swimmer
KW - Propulsion
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114821595&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10338-021-00260-w
DO - 10.1007/s10338-021-00260-w
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85114821595
SN - 0894-9166
VL - 34
SP - 783
EP - 809
JO - Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica
JF - Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica
IS - 6
ER -