Abstract
We have been investigating how to use microorganisms for bio-micromachines. We succeeded to rotate φ0.5mm micro impeller by motion controlled Paramecium. The paramecium was controlled by the weak electrical field by applying their negative galvano-taxis. We also succeeded to attach an operation tool on a Paramecium and the tool installed Paramecium could transport an object more efficiently. In our previous paper, we improved Paramecium's motion control accuracy by using large distance electrode pool. The average control deviation was within 0.15mm. In this paper, we investigated the motion control property of Paramecium in the vertical plane to prepare the real 3 dimensional motion control. First, we developed a motion control pool for the vertical set up. Basically the controllability of Paramecium in the vertical plane is not so different to the controllability in the horizontal plane. We can control paramecium very stably for over 100 laps along the star-shaped target route by using this newly made experimental pool. The controllability was improved with the progression of making a circuit. It may relate to the dropping of the swimming speed. The swimming trace showed the peculiarity that related to the vertical movements. The swimming speed of the downward direction is higher than that of the upward direction. We tried to adjust the motion control algorism to decrease the average control deviation by using the features of the trace shape.
