Magnetic miniature robots
A method of making a magnetic miniature robot includes: rotationally deforming a segment of material about a rotational deformation axis, from an initial shape to a deformed shape, the material including a plurality of magnetic particles distributed in an elastic matrix; magnetizing the plurality of magnetic particles in the segment to form a magnetized segment in a magnetization process, in the magnetized segment in the deformed shape being characterized by a uniform magnetization profile; after the magnetization process, enabling the magnetized segment to elastically recover the initial shape and form a non-uniform magnetization profile; and coupling together at least one pair of the segment to form a main component, wherein the non-uniform magnetization profiles of the at least one pair of the segment are disposed in opposing orientations to configure the main component with a zero net magnetic moment about a sixth degree-of-freedom axis.
1 . A method of making a magnetic miniature robot (MMR), the method comprising:
rotationally deforming a segment of material about a rotational deformation axis, from an initial shape to a deformed shape, the material including a plurality of magnetic particles distributed in an elastic matrix;
magnetizing the plurality of magnetic particles in the segment in a magnetization process to form a magnetized segment, in the magnetized segment in the deformed shape being characterized by a uniform magnetization profile;
after the magnetization process, enabling the magnetized segment to elastically recover the initial shape and form a non-uniform magnetization profile; and
coupling together at least one pair of the segments to form a main component, wherein the non-uniform magnetization profiles of the at least one pair of the segment are disposed in opposing orientations to configure the main component with a zero net magnetic moment about a sixth degree-of-freedom (DOF) axis;
coupling an auxiliary magnet to the main component, the auxiliary magnet being characterized by a uniform magnetization profile, wherein the segment is bounded by a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the rotationally deforming comprises angularly displacing the second surface relative to the first surface, and
wherein the initial shape defines either 1) a quadrant cross-section, in which case the deformed shape includes a semicircular cross-section or 2) a semicircular cross-section, in which case the deformed shape includes a circular cross-section.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary magnet and the main component are coupled in alignment along the sixth DOF axis, and wherein a non-zero net magnetic moment of the auxiliary magnet coincides the sixth DOF axis.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally deforming of the segment comprises providing an angular displacement of the second surface relative to the first surface until the second surface is parallel or anti-parallel with the first surface.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally deforming of the segment comprises stretching the segment with the material along a radial line undergoing a similar angular displacement, the radial line being defined as extending from the rotational deformation axis.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising: cutting out a piece from a center of an assembly to form the main component.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial shape defines the quadrant cross-section, and wherein the deformed shape comprises the semicircular cross-section.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial shape defines the semicircular cross-section, and wherein the deformed shape comprises the circular cross-section.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to the rotationally deforming, distributing the plurality of magnetic particles in the elastic matrix to form the material;
molding the material into the initial shape; and
curing the material.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the MMR is configured to enable a sixth DOF restoring torque.