The controlled, contactless motion of ferromagnetic nanoparticles is becoming increasingly important in many fields of research and application. These include the life sciences, biomedicine, laboratory processes, and micro- and nanorobotics. New possibilities open up wherever the smallest particles need to be moved precisely and reproducibly without contact.
However, traditional mechanical manipulation quickly reaches its limits at the microscale. Dominant surface forces, limited installation space for actuators, and the challenging task of reproducibly positioning the smallest objects make precise processes difficult. Contactless methods are therefore of great interest, especially for handling sensitive samples or controlling numerous particles simultaneously.
This is where our 2D and 3D manipulators for magnetizable nanoparticles, as well as micro- and macro-magnetic objects, come into play. These systems enable precise and reproducible control of motion and positioning sequences in two or three dimensions—contactlessly and based on precisely generated magnetic fields and field gradients.
Key Application Areas
- Cell Biology: Contactless manipulation of individual cells for tissue engineering and stem cell research.
- Magnetic Separation: Separation of cells, pathogens, or biomolecules using magnetically labeled nanoparticles on a chip.
- Microrobotics: Control of therapeutic microrobots for minimally invasive applications.
- Microassembly: Precise positioning and assembly of tiny magnetic components.
- Lab-on-chip development: Integration of magnetic actuators for complex microfluidic systems.