Switchable-Polarity Electropermanent Magnet: Reconfigurable Magnetic Fields for Scalable Fluidic Control

Abstract:Scalable control of pneumatic and fluidic networks remains fundamentally constrained by architectures that require continuous power input, dense external control hardware, and fixed routing topologies. Current valve arrays rely on such continuous actuation and mechanically fixed routing, imposing substantial thermal and architectural overhead. Here, we introduce the Switchable-polarity Electropermanent Magnet (S-EPM), a bistable magnetic architecture that spatially redistributes its external magnetic field through transient electrical excitation. By reconfiguring internal flux pathways within a composite magnet assembly, the S-EPM exchanges reinforced and weakened magnetic-field regions while maintaining bistable, zero-power state retention. We integrate this architecture into a compact pinch-valve to robustly control pneumatic and liquid media. This state-encoded magnetic control enables programmable fluidic networks, including decoders, hierarchical distribution modules, and a nonvolatile six-port routing array. By embedding functionality in persistent magnetic states rather than continuous power or static plumbing, this work establishes a scalable foundation for programmable fluidics and self-driving laboratories.

Robotics (cs.RO)

arXiv:2603.24811 [cs.RO]

(or arXiv:2603.24811v2 [cs.RO] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2603.24811 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite

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