A Nonvolatile Switchable-polarity EPM Valve

TL;DR

This paper introduces the S-EPM, a bistable magnetic valve that maintains its state without power, enabling scalable, programmable, and nonvolatile control of fluidic networks for autonomous systems.

Contribution

The work presents a novel switchable-polarity electropermanent magnet architecture that enables nonvolatile, reconfigurable fluidic control without continuous power or fixed routing.

Findings

Demonstrated a compact pinch-valve with magnetic reconfiguration.

Enabled logic-embedded fluidic networks with address-based routing.

Achieved nonvolatile, programmable control of pneumatic and liquid media.

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 fundamentally new bistable magnetic architecture that deterministically reverses its external magnetic polarity through transient electrical excitation. By reconfiguring internal flux pathways within a composite magnet assembly, the S-EPM establishes two stable, opposing magnetic configurations without requiring sustained power. We integrate this architecture into a compact pinch-valve to robustly control pneumatic and liquid media. This state-encoded magnetic control enables logic-embedded fluidic networks, including decoders, hierarchical distribution modules, and a nonvolatile six-port routing array. These systems provide address-based routing and programmable compositional control, offering features like individual port isolation that are impossible with standard mechanically coupled rotary valves. By embedding functionality in persistent magnetic states rather than continuous power or static plumbing, this work establishes a scalable foundation for digital fluidics and autonomous laboratory platforms.