Engineering Nanorobots: Chronology of Modeling Flagellar Propulsion

Abstract

Nanorobots are propitious to swim or fly compared with crawling and walking because of issues with desirable characteristics of high velocity, efficiency, specificity, controllability, and a simple propagation mechanism that can be realized with miniaturized parts. Inspired by the fact that microorganisms existing in nature function expeditiously under these circumstances, researchers have shown a great interest to conceptualize, model, analyze, and make micro-/nanosized swimmers (nanorobots) that can move in body fluids for applications such as targeted drug delivery, nanomedication, and in-viscera nanosurgery. The present work compiles modeling of physics as investigated since 1951 of flagellar propulsion in engineering nanorobots. Existing theories in flagellar propulsion such as resistive force theory, slender body theory, Kirchhoff rod theory, bead model, and boundary element method as well as progress in designing the propulsion system of a nanorobot are summarized, and various interdisciplinary aspects of realizing nanorobots and issues in moving nanorobots have been presented chronologically.