Oren Wiezel

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Oren Wiezel is a researcher specializing in the mechanics and control of locomotion at microscopic scales, with a particular focus on low-Reynolds-number swimming and biologically inspired robotic microswimmers. His work centers on Purcell's three-link swimmer, a canonical model for understanding how simple organisms and micro-robotic systems propel themselves through highly viscous fluids where inertial forces are negligible. Wiezel's most significant contribution lies in applying optimal control theory to identify maximum-displacement gaits for Purcell's swimmer, demonstrating how prescribed periodic joint trajectories can be optimized to achieve superior locomotion efficiency. This 2016 study has garnered 20 citations, establishing it as a meaningful reference in the microswimmer and bio-locomotion communities. His more recent 2023 work extends this foundation through geometric analysis, offering deeper mathematical insight into the structure of gaits and the broader landscape of optimal control strategies for kinematic swimmers. By bridging geometric mechanics with control theory, Wiezel's research provides practical tools for designing efficient swimming strategies in robotic and biological microswimmers — systems with potential applications in targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive medicine, and the fundamental understanding of microbial locomotion.