Swimming at low Reynolds number in Newtonian fluids is only possible through nonreciprocal body deformations due to the kinematic reversibility of the Stokes equations. We consider here a model swimmer consisting of two linked spheres, wherein one sphere is rigid and the other an incompressible neo-Hookean solid. The two spheres are connected by a rod that changes its length periodically. We show that the deformations of the body are nonreciprocal despite the reversible actuation and hence the elastic two-sphere swimmer propels forward. Our results indicate that even weak elastic deformations of a body can affect locomotion and may be exploited in designing artificial microswimmers.

• Received 17 November 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.2.043101