Nature-inspired magnetic soft robotic swimmers and swarms
Magnetically actuated soft robotic swimmers (MSRS) are miniature robots inspired by biological swimmers such as bacteria and jellyfish. These robots use soft, flexible materials that respond to external magnetic fields, enabling precise motion in complex environments like bodily fluids. The primary goal of Ratnadeep Pramanik's research was to develop MSRS that are efficient, versatile, and stable for biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgeries, and diagnostics.
Through advanced computational modeling, Pramanik explored the fluid-structure interactions and dynamics of these robots under various conditions. He developed a framework for designing different types of swimmers, such as undulatory, helical, and jellyfish-inspired robots, and analyzed their performance. A significant outcome of Pramanik's research is the understanding of how emergent behaviors arise in swarms of these robots. By studying collective motion influenced by hydrodynamic interactions, this research paves the way for coordinated robotic systems that can adapt to dynamic environments. In his work, Pramanik combines insights from nature, mathematics, and engineering to open new possibilities in soft robotics and biomedical innovation, offering potential breakthroughs in healthcare technologies.