Optimal navigation of microswimmers in complex and noisy environments

Abstract

We design new navigation strategies for travel time optimization of microscopic self-propelled particles in complex and noisy environments. In contrast to strategies relying on the results of optimal control theory or machine learning approaches, implementation of these protocols can be done in a semi-autonomous fashion, as it does not require control over the microswimmer motion via external feedback loops. Although the strategies we propose rely on simple principles, they show arrival time statistics strikingly close to optimality, as well as performances that are robust to environmental changes and strong fluctuations. These features, as well as their applicability to more general optimization problems, make these strategies promising candidates for the realization of optimized semi-autonomous navigation.