Optimal motion control of three-sphere based low-Reynolds number swimming microrobot

Microrobots with their promising applications are attracting a lot of attention currently. A microrobot with a triangular mechanism was previously proposed by scientists to overcome the motion limitations in a low-Reynolds number flow; however, the control of this swimmer for performing desired manoeuvres has not been studied yet. Here, we have proposed some strategies for controlling its position. Considering the constraints on arm lengths, we proposed an optimal controller based on quadratic programming. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed optimal controller can steer the microrobot along the desired trajectory as well as minimize fluctuations of the actuators length.

Towards the Use of Flapping Wing Nano Aerial Vehicles

In the last decade, the potential of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) has generated an enormous interest in this technology and numerous applications have therefore been proposed in military and civilian fields. More recently, researchers have begun to work on a new and miniaturized generation called Flapping Wing Nano Aerial Vehicles (FWNAVs) who could be particularly promising for the indoor inspection. Before to be able to use efficiently these FWNAVs, there are however significant scientific and technical challenges to solve due to the scaling down. These include aerodynamics of low Reynolds number flow, small-scale power generation and power storage, navigation and communication, propulsion and control as well as manufacturability. This paper sets out the potential applications of such FWNAVs and reviews some of the challenges related to aerodynamics, stability, and design trends.