Research @ IRIS
Microrobotics
Microrobotics is a field that combines the established theory and techniques of robotics with the exciting new tools provided by MEMS technology in order to create intelligent machines that operate at micron scales. IRIS research develops the tools and processes required to fabricate and assemble micron sized robots. Many of these systems are used for robotic exploration within biological domains, such as in the investigation of molecular structures, cellular systems, and complex organism behavior.
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Nanorobotics
Nanorobotics is the study of robotics at the nanometer scale, and includes robots that are nanoscale in size and large robots capable of manipulating objects that have dimensions in the nanoscale range with nanometer resolution. Nanorobotic manipulation is an enabling technology for NEMS (NanoElectroMechanical Systems) and promising for nanorobots. NEMS with novel nanoscale materials and structures will enable many new nanosensors and nanoactuators.
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Special Projects
IRIS has a variety of other robotics related projects.
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Advanced Materials Cover 2012
A simple and general fabrication method for magnetic helical micromachines with or without claw-like protrusions is reported by S. Tottori, L. Zhang, F. Qiu, K.K. Krawczyk, A. Franco-Obregón and B.J. Nelson. The dynamics of motion control reveal that corkscrew motion can always be generated when the input frequency of the rotating magnetic field is sufficiently high. The micromachines exhibit excellent swimming behavior, low cytotoxicity, and are capable of 3D cargo transport in fluid. (More...).
ETH Life article about our ABF Research
Our research on Artifical Bacterial Flagella (ABF) was featured in an ETH Life article titled "Mobile microvortex holds on to bacteria". (ETH Life article).
Nano Letters paper highlighted in Nature
Our research presented in the paper "Selective Trapping and Manipulation of Microscale Objects Using Mobile Microvortices" was highlighted in Nature: Swirls move tiny objects.
ABFs in the Guinness Book of World Records 2012
Our Artificial Bacterial Flagella (ABFs) made it into the Guinness Book of Records for 2012, described as "Most Advanced Mini Robot for Medical Use". Preview
