Physics governing the locomotion of microorganisms and other microsystems is dominated by viscous damping. An effective swimming strategy involves the non-reciprocal and periodic deformations of the considered body. Herein, we show that a magnetocapillary-driven self-assembly, composed of three soft-ferromagnetic beads, is able to swim along a liquid-air interface when driven by an external magnetic field. Moreover, the system can be fully controled, opening ways to explore low Reynolds number swimming and to create micromanipulators in various applications.
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Authors
Nicolas Vandewalle
GRASP, Physics Department B5a, University of Li\`ege, B-4000 Li\`ege, Belgium
GRASP, Institute Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Belgium
University of Li\`ege
GRASP, Institute of Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Li\`ege, B4000 Li\`ege, Belgium
Galien Grosjean
GRASP, Institute Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Belgium
Alexis Darras
GRASP, Institute Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Belgium
Guillaume Lagubeau
GRASP, Physics Department B5a, University of Li\`ege, B-4000 Li\`ege, Belgium
GRASP, Physics Department, University of Li\`ege, B-4000 Li\`ege, Belgium
GRASP, Institute Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Belgium
Maxime Hubert
GRASP, Institute Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Belgium
University of Li\`ege
Geoffroy Lumay
GRASP, Physics Department B5a, University of Li\`ege, B-4000 Li\`ege, Belgium
GRASP, Institute Physics B5a, Sart Tilman, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Belgium
