Magnetic Manipulation in Micromachines

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "B:Biology and Biomedicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 843

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Interests: mechatronics; microrobotics; magnetic levitation; micromanipulation; automation and robotics; microactuator; biomechanics and biotechnology; automotive; MEMS; electromagnetic actuators; additive manufacturing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There have been many types of locomotion and manipulation mechanisms in micromachines, such as the use of piezoelectric actuators, ultrasonic vibration, etc. Among them, magnetic manipulation, including the use of electromagnets or permanent magnets, has received less attention. Magnetic manipulation holds great potential for applications in micromachines due to its contactless and direct drive force, eliminating the need for transmission and linkage mechanisms. It is particularly suitable for small-scale systems and micro/nanorobotics.

In this Special Issue, we welcome manuscripts that introduce magnetic manipulation for micromachines. We anticipate that submissions will include analytical calculations and/or simulations for manipulator design, with experimental verification of the reported system. We invite contributions in the fields of microsystems, microdevices, micromanipulation, and microrobots. This includes, but is not limited to, swimming microrobots, biomedical micro/nanorobots, MEMS robots, micro-scale energy harvesters, microfluidics, and micromirror devices.

Prof. Dr. Behrad Khamesee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • micromanipulation
  • electromagnetic devices
  • permanent magnets
  • microrobotics
  • electromagnetic actuators

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

30 pages, 8909 KiB  
Review
Recent Design and Application Advances in Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Electromagnetic Actuators
by Jianqun Cheng, Ning Xue, Bocang Qiu, Boqi Qin, Qingchun Zhao, Gang Fang, Zhihui Yao, Wenyi Zhou and Xuguang Sun
Micromachines 2025, 16(6), 670; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060670 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 471
Abstract
Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) electromagnetic actuators have rapidly evolved into critical components of various microscale applications, offering significant advantages including precision, controllability, high force density, and rapid responsiveness. Recent advancements in actuator design, fabrication methodologies, smart control integration, and emerging application domains have significantly [...] Read more.
Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) electromagnetic actuators have rapidly evolved into critical components of various microscale applications, offering significant advantages including precision, controllability, high force density, and rapid responsiveness. Recent advancements in actuator design, fabrication methodologies, smart control integration, and emerging application domains have significantly broadened their capabilities and practical applications. This comprehensive review systematically analyzes the recent developments in MEMS electromagnetic actuators, highlighting core operating principles such as Lorentz force and magnetic attraction/repulsion mechanisms and examining state-of-the-art fabrication technologies, such as advanced microfabrication techniques, additive manufacturing, and innovative material applications. Additionally, we provide an in-depth discussion on recent enhancements in actuator performance through smart and adaptive integration strategies, focusing on improved reliability, accuracy, and dynamic responsiveness. Emerging application fields, particularly micro-optical systems, microrobotics, precision micromanipulation, and microfluidic components, are extensively explored, demonstrating how recent innovations have significantly impacted these sectors. Finally, critical challenges, including miniaturization constraints, integration complexities, power efficiency, and reliability issues, are identified, alongside a prospective outlook outlining promising future research directions. This review aims to serve as an authoritative resource, fostering further innovation and technological advancement in MEMS actuators and related interdisciplinary fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Manipulation in Micromachines)
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