Abstract
We demonstrate that collective turbulentlike motion in a bacterial bath can power and steer the directed transport of mesoscopic carriers through the suspension. In our experiments and simulations, a microwedgelike “bulldozer” draws energy from a bacterial bath of varied density. We obtain that an optimal transport speed is achieved in the turbulent state of the bacterial suspension. This apparent rectification of random motion of bacteria is caused by polar ordered bacteria inside the cusp region of the carrier, which is shielded from the outside turbulent fluctuations.
- Received 28 January 2014
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.158101
© 2014 American Physical Society