Friction-Induced Velocity Fields for Point Parts Sliding on a Rigid Oscillated Plate

We show that small amplitude periodic motion of a rigid plate causes isolated point parts on the plate to move as if they are in a position-dependent velocity field. By allowing the plate to oscillate with six-degrees-of-freedom, we can create a large family of programmable velocity fields. A subset of the fields in this family exhibit sink and source behavior, opening up the possibility of using a single rigid plate for applications such as sensorless part orientation and uncertainty-reducing transport.