OctoMag: An electromagnetic system for 5-DOF wireless micromanipulation

— We demonstrate five-degree-of-freedom (5-DOF) wireless magnetic control of a fully untethered microrobot (3DOF position, 2-DOF pointing orientation). The microrobot can move through a large workspace, and is completely unrestrained in the rotation degrees of freedom. We accomplish this level of wireless control with an electromagnetic system that we call OctoMag. OctoMag’s unique abilities are due to its utilization of complex nonuniform magnetic fields, which capitalizes on a linear representation of the coupled field contributions of multiple soft-magnetic-core electromagnets acting in concert. OctoMag was primarily designed for the control of intraocular microrobots for delicate retinal procedures, but it also has potential uses in other medical applications or micromanipulation under an optical microscope.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: ICRA
• Authors: Bradley Kratochvil, Michael P. Kummer, Jake J. Abbott, Ruedi Borer, Olgaç Ergeneman, Bradley J. Nelson
• Keywords: ICRA 2010, Nonuniform Magnetic fields, Robotics, Untethered Microrobot, Wireless Magnetic Control