zoltán nagy

Research Projects

- Richard Feynman, There's plenty of room at the bottom, 1959.

Assembling Reconfigurable Endoluminal Surgical (ARES) System

We are developing a modular robotic system that can be swallowed and will assemble inside the G.I. Tract for therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. ETH Zürich is one of four European universities participating in this project, led by Paolo Dario at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna.

My research involves the investigation of the self-assembly of the ARES robot inside the stomach. Using a specific magnet configuration on the connection face, assembly success rates of up to 90% are possible.

Intraocular Microrobots and Control Using Field Gradients

This project aims at developing magnetic microrobotics for ophtalmic surgery.

I am involved in developing the magnetic model for assembled-MEMS microrobots. The model is validated through FEM simulations and experiments, and captures the characteristics of complex 3-D structures. It allows us, for the first time, to consider full 6-DOF control of untethered devices.

The Swiss French Television (TSR, Nouvo, Dec.5, 2008) reported on both projects:

A German (SF1, Einstein, Feb.5, 2009) version is also available.

Current MSc/BSc/Internship opportunities at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent System (ETH Zurich) in my research field

Publications

Journals and Magazines

S. Miyashita, Z. Nagy, B. J. Nelson, and R. Pfeifer, The Influence of Shape on Parallel Self-Assembly, Entropy 2009, 11(4), pp. 643-666
doi: 10.3390/e11040643

Z. Nagy, K. Harada, M. Fluckiger, E. Susilo, I. K. Kaliakatsos, A. Menciassi, E. Hawkes, J. J. Abbott, P. Dario, and B. J. Nelson, Assembling Reconfigurable Endoluminal Surgical Systems: Opportunities and Challenges, International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp 3-16, 2009
doi: 10.1504/IJBBR.2009.030054

M. Probst, M. Flueckiger, S. Pane, O. Ergeneman, Z. Nagy and B.J. Nelson, Manufacturing of a Hybrid Acoustic Transmitter Using an Advanced Microassembly System, IEEE. Trans. Indust. Electronics, Vol.56, Issue 7, pp. 2657-2666
doi: 10.1109/TIE.2009.2021173

M. Flueckiger, Z. Nagy, M. Probst, O. Ergeneman, S. Pane, and B.J. Nelson, A Microfabricated and Microassembled Wireless Resonator, Sensors & Actuators A: Physical, in Press
doi: 10.1016/j.sna.2009.07.012

F. Beyeler, S. Muntwyler, Z. Nagy, C. Graetzel, M. Moser and B.J. Nelson, Design and calibration of a MEMS sensor for measuring the force and torque acting on a magnetic microrobot, J. Micromech. Microeng. (18) 025004 (7pp), 2008
doi: 10.1088/0960-1317/18/2/025004

J. J. Abbott, Z. Nagy, F. Beyeler, B. J. Nelson, Robotics in the Small, Part I: Microrobotics, IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2007, pp. 92-103
doi: 10.1109/MRA.2007.380641

International Refereed Conferences

Z. Nagy, D. Frutiger, R.I. Leine, C. Glocker, and B. J. Nelson, Modeling Magnetic Micro Impact Actuators, in Proc. IEEE Int. Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2010, Anchorage, AK, USA

Z. Nagy, S. Miyashita, S. Muntwyler, A.K. Cherukuri, J.J. Abbott, R. Pfeiffer, and B.J. Nelson, Morphology Detection for Magnetically Self-Assembled Modular Robots, in Proc. IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2009, St. Louis, MO, USA
doi: 10.1109/IROS.2009.5354764

Z. Nagy, M. Flueckiger, O. Ergeneman, S. Pane, M. Probst and B.J. Nelson, A Wireless Acoustic Emitter for Passive Localization in Liquids, in Proc. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2009, Kobe, Japan
doi: 10.1109/ROBOT.2009.5152292

Z. Nagy, R. Oung, J. J. Abbott, and B. J. Nelson, Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Self-Assembly for Swallowable Modular Robots, in Proc. IEEE/RJS International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2008, Nice, France
doi: 10.1109/IROS.2008.4650662

Z. Nagy, O. Ergeneman, J. J. Abbott, M. Hutter, A. M. Hirt, and B. J. Nelson, Modeling Assembled-MEMS Microrobots for Wireless Magnetic Control, in Proc. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2008, Pasadena, CA, USA
doi: 10.1109/ROBOT.2008.4543315

F. Beyeler, S. Muntwyler, Z. Nagy, M. Moser, and B.J. Nelson, A Multi-Axis MEMS Force-Torque Sensor for Measuring the Load on a Microrobot Actuated by Magnetic Fields, in Proc. IEEE/RJS International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2007, St. Diego, CA, USA
doi: 10.1109/IROS.2007.4399004

Z. Nagy, J. J. Abbott, and B. J. Nelson, The Magnetic Self-Aligning Hermaphroditic Connector: A Scalable Approach for Modular Microrobots, in Proc. IEEE/ASME Int. Conf. Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, 2007, Zurich, Switzerland
doi: 10.1109/AIM.2007.4412519

Patents

Z. Nagy, A. Sadowski, Systems and Methods for Data Management, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.: 61/286,835

In Preparation

Z. Nagy, O. Ergeneman, J. J. Abbott, M. Hutter, A. M. Hirt, and B. J. Nelson, Modeling Assembled-MEMS Devices for Wireless Magnetic Manipulation, in prep. for journal submission

Non Refereed Publications

Z. Nagy, F. Beyeler, Die Mikrowelt entdecken: Die Arbeit mit Mikroobjekten, Bulletin SEV/VSE, November 2009

Media Coverage

Print and Internet

• Zoltan Nagy Das Magazin, April 10, 2009 [www|pdf]
• Swallow a Surgeon The Future of Things, Jan. 15, 2009 [www|pdf]
• Połknij karetkę pogotowia Focus Magazyn, 12/2008
• Készülnek a lenyelhető robotsebészek Híradó, Dec. 1, 2008 [www|pdf]
• A Surgeon You Can Swallow Science Daily, Dec. 1, 2008 [www|pdf]
• Tengeralattjárók a bélben Népszabadság, Nov. 24, 2008 [www|pdf]
• Un robot travaille bien une fois avalé Atelier, Nov. 13, 2008 [www|pdf]
• Chirurg zum Verschlucken ETH Life, Nov. 5, 2008 [www|pdf], Best of ETH Life, Nov'08
   or in english on ETH Life International [www|pdf]

• Building a Self-Assembling Stomach-Bot MIT Technology Review, Sep. 22, 2008 [www|pdf]
   or in german on heise.de [www|pdf]

• Swallow the Surgeon The Economist, Sep. 4, 2008 [www|pdf]

TV and Radio

• Chérie, j'ai rétréci le médecin Nouvo, TSR, Dec. 5, 2008
this clip has been aired on multiple TV stations, amongst others on
• Darmspiegelung mit Minikamera Einstein, SF1, Feb. 5, 2009
• Honey, I shrunk the Endoscopy: the wonders of micro-medicine Hi-Tech, EuroNews, Jan. 13, 2009
• Zürcher machen aus Darmkameras winzige Roboter Nano, 3Sat, March 3, 2009
• Une caméra à avaler comme un médicament pour ausculter le corps Science X, France 2, Nov. 29, 2008
• Lenyelhető Orvos Hétköznapi Todomány, Kossuth Rádio, Nov. 11, 2008 [mp3]

Awards and Distinctions

• Erasmus Scholarship
• IEEE RAS Travel Support (ICRA 2009)
• Venture Leaders 2009
• ETH Travel Stipend for pursuing research in the US
• Swiss Technology Award 2009 for FemtoTools

Professional Activities

Student member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Teaching

Lectures

Student Project Supervision

• Bachelor/Semester Theses: Ashish Cherukuri'09, Ciril Baselgia'09, Marco Hutter'07
• Master/Dimploma Theses: Raymond Oung'08
• Studies on Mechatronics: Heinrich Meier'08, Ivo Leibacher'07, Gregory Hitz'07, Raymond Oung'07
• Internships: Elliot Hawkes'08, Christina Haupt'08

Education

Software

Varia

• Co-Founder of FemtoTools GmbH: FemtoTools designs and fabricates high quality measurement and handling instruments for research and development in the micro and nanodomain.
• Head of SiROP ETH: SiROP provides a multifunctional web platform with standardised procedures to post, search, and manage projects while using a common browser.
• Co-Founder and COO of curvit: curvit™ allows students to develop an online portfolio and export any combination of that information into a hard copy resume or portfolio formatted to the standard of any institution.

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.

- Albert Einstein