Abstract
We present an automated procedure for the design of optimal actuation for flagellar magnetic microswimmers based on numerical optimization. Using this method, a magnetic actuation method is provided which allows these devices to swim significantly faster compared to the usual sinusoidal actuation. This leads to a novel swimming strategy which makes the swimmer perform a three-dimensional figure-eight trajectory. This shows that a faster propulsion is obtained when the swimmer is allowed to go out of plane. This approach is experimentally validated on a scaled-up flexible swimmer.
2 More- Received 2 August 2019
- Accepted 18 January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.101.042604
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