Comparison of the propulsion of helical microrobots based on hard- and soft-magnetic elements under rotating external magnetic fieldsv

Abstract

This study compares the propulsion of helical microrobots based on hard- and soft-magnetic elements under rotating magnetic fields. Results show that hard-magnetic microrobots achieved step-out frequencies and maximum propulsion speeds 4.5 times higher than soft-magnetic microrobots. Below saturation magnetization, soft-magnetic micro-robots demonstrated similar performance irrespective of magnetic susceptibility, high-lighting that torque generation in these materials is purely geometry-dependent. Employing a tapered ribbon design increased propulsion speed by a factor of 3.5 compared to regular helical designs. These results provide a quantitative basis for selecting materials and designs, enabling designers to weigh the propulsion benefits of hard magnets against the biocompatibility of soft-magnetic microrobots.