Ferropaper low-cost to make Motors - Robots - Software Technology - costliest software
The magnetic ferropaper which has been developed by a scientist in U.S which could be used in making low-cost micrometers for highly precise surgical tools and also in tiny robots.It has also been designed to navigate the intricate maze of the human circulatory system like Purdue University belives that tiny tweezer and miniature speaker can also become possible for the direct study of cell.
Researchers at Purdue University says that the material itself based on impregnating ordinary paper with a mixture of mineral oil and 'magnetic nanoparticles' of iron oxide and mineral oil, which makes the paper magnetic.Motion and the shape of the nanoparticle-laden paper is controlled by an external magnetic field.
Babak Ziaie, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering says that as the "Paper is a porous matrix, you can load a lot of this material into it"
Creation of new type of material that may represent a miniature robots or motor for a variety of potential applications and also for the lost-cost way to make small stereo speakers.
It is very inexpensive to make and as the paper is very soft it won't damage cells or tissue. It is very inexpensive to make. Ziaie said that "You put a droplet on a piece of paper, and that is your actuator, or motor"
The paper is coated with a biocompatible plastic film once saturated with this 'ferrofluid' mixture,this makes it water resistant and prevents the fluid from evaporating which improves its mechanical properties such as strength, stiffness and elasticity.(Source : Yahoo)