Acoustically propelled microparticles: From fundamentals to applications

Artificial microparticles that exhibit active propulsion when exposed to ultrasound have great potential for practical applications in fields such as medicine and materials science. For example, these acoustically propelled microparticles could - resembling remote-controlled micro-submarines - be used for targeted drug delivery or microinvasive surgery. Furthermore, materials based on such particles constitute active materials that can exhibit extraordinary properties not found in conventional materials. In this talk, I will give an overview of our investigation of the fundamental properties of these particles, our first steps toward their potential applications, and our planned future steps to turn these applications into reality.