Multi-flagella helical microswimmers for multiscale cargo transport and reversible targeted binding

Abstract

In-vivo and in-vitro micro-interventions by mobile robotic agents require their precise control. Numerous types of microrobotic swimmers have been developed, assuming different peculiar applications, but often suffering from a lack of mobility and robustness, due to their unique propulsion mode. Hence we present in this paper the multi-flagella helical microswimmers that combine complementary propulsion modes for covering different motions and applications. The numerous possibilities of motions make the robots capable of moving rapidly, on long distances and in hard conditions, as expected in biological organisms. Besides, our microswimmers prove to be able of precise targeted binding, reversible binding, and multi-scale cargo transport moving particles from 5 to 30 μm large. Thus the demonstrated skillful multi-flagella helical microswimmers are very promising for future interventions in microfluidic chips and biological organisms, such as cell manipulation, precise drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery.