Active and driven wave-propelled interfacial particles

When an asymmetric floating body is internally or externally vibrated, the self-generated capillary wavefield can lead to steady propulsion or rotation. In this talk, I will discuss several related and recently discovered systems that leverage this physical mechanism. First, I will present our work on the "SurferBot": a centimeter-scale robotic device that self-propels along a fluid interface using an onboard vibration motor. I will then transition to a vibrating fluid substrate, where freely floating particles are shown to self-propel along straight paths, rotate in place, or move along curvilinear trajectories, depending sensitively on the particle asymmetries and driving parameters. Such particles interact at a distance through their mutual wavefield and exhibit a rich array of multibody dynamics. Overall, this highly accessible and tunable macroscopic system serves as a novel platform for exploring active and driven matter interacting in fluid environments.