Harnessing wind to manipulate objects remotely
"Airflow or wind is everywhere in our living environment, moving around objects like pollen, pathogens, droplets, seeds and leaves. Wind has also been actively used in industry and in our everyday lives - for example, in leaf blowers to clean leaves. But so far, we can't control the direction the leaves move - we can only blow them together into a pile," says Professor Quan Zhou from Aalto University, who led the study.
The project began with an in-depth study of how objects behave in artificial airflow, with the team recording thousands of movements to establish movement patterns. Despite the unpredictable nature of airflow, the team found it possible to control object movement with a high degree of precision.
"We designed an algorithm that controls the direction of the air nozzle with two motors. The jet of air is blown onto the surface from several meters away and to the side of the object, so the generated airflow field moves the object in the desired direction. The control algorithm repeatedly adjusts the direction of the air nozzle so that the airflow moves the objects along the desired trajectory," explains Zhou.
Further developments allowed the team to manipulate objects along varied paths, such as circles or letter-like shapes. The technique is adaptable to different shapes and materials, enhancing its applicability in areas like debris collection and handling delicate electrical circuits where direct contact is not feasible.
"We believe that this technique could get even better with a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the airflow field, which is what we're working on next," says Zhou.
Research Report:Meter-Scale Distance Manipulation of Diverse Objects with Jet-Induced Airflow Field