Research
Compare and contrast Optical Tweezer and Sharp-Edge Propulsion, and evaluate how their combination could enhance the performance and biomedical functionality
Abstract - Microrobotics is a growing field that operates within the size range of 1 μm and 1000 μm that holds a huge potential in biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery. There are four main methods of controlling microrobots: magnetic, electric, acoustic, and optical. In this paper, optical and acoustic, more specifically, optical tweezers and sharp-edge propulsion, are going to be compared. For a simple explanation, optical tweezers use light as the energy source to control microrobots, while sharp-edge propulsion uses ultrasound. Starting with the comparison of two actuation methods, optical tweezers and sharp-edge propulsion, are going to be compared within the three categories, which are driving method, biocompatibility, and performance. After analyzing each actuation, the results show how their combination could enhance the performance of microrobots.
