A Steerable, Untethered, 250x60 micron MEMS Mobile Micro-Robot

We present a steerable, electrostatic, untethered, MEMS micro-robot, with dimensions of 60 µm by 250 µm by 10 µm. This micro-robot is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude smaller in size than previous micro-robotic systems. The device consists of a curved, cantilevered steering arm, mounted on an untethered scratch drive actuator. These two components are fabricated monolithically from the same sheet of conductive polysilicon, and receive a common power and control signal through a capacitive coupling with an underlying electrical grid. All locations on the grid receive the same power and control signal, so that the devices can be operated without knowledge of their position on the substrate and without constraining rails or tethers. Control and power delivery waveforms are broadcast to the device through the capacitive power coupling, and are decoded by the electromechanical response of the device body. Individual control of the component actuators provides two distinct motion gaits (forward motion and turning), which together allow full coverage of a planar workspace (the robot is globally controllable). These MEMS micro-robots demonstrate turning error of less than 3.7 °/mm during forward motion, turn with radii as small as 176 µm, and achieve speeds of over 200 µm/sec, with an average step size of 12 nm. They have been shown to operate open-loop for distances exceeding 35 cm without failure, and can be controlled through teleoperation to navigate complex paths

First experiments on MagPieR: a planar wireless magnetic and piezoelectric microrobot.

International audienceThe paper documents the principle and experiments of the "2mm dash" winner at NIST IEEE Mobile Microrobotics Challenge held at ICRA2010 in Alaska [1]. Submission is made for the special session "ICRA Robot Challenge: Advancing Research Through Competitions". The new MagPieR microrobot was specially designed for breaking the speed record, providing a planar magnetic actuation with an optimised coils setup and a subsequent piezoelectric actuation for improved sliding condition. The paper describes the principle of actuation, the microrobot manufacturing flowchart and the assembly setup. Some simulations are provided with a first series of experimental data and conclusions

An overview of multiple DoF magnetic actuated micro-robots.

International audienceThis paper reviews the state of the art of untethered, wirelessly actuated and controlled micro-robots. Research for such tools is being increasingly pursued to provide solutions for medical, biological and industrial applications. Indeed, due to their small size they o er both high velocity, and accessibility to tiny and clustered environments. These systems could be used for in vitro tasks on lab-on-chips in order to push and/or sort biological cells, or for in vivo tasks like minimally invasive surgery and could also be used in the micro-assembly of microcomponents. However, there are many constraints to actuating, manufacturing and controlling micro-robots, such as the impracticability of on-board sensors and actuators, common hysteresis phenomena and nonlinear behavior in the environment, and the high susceptibility to slight variations in the atmosphere like tiny dust or humidity. In this work, the major challenges that must be addressed are reviewed and some of the best performing multiple DoF micro-robots sized from tens to hundreds m are presented. The di erent magnetic micro-robot platforms are presented and compared. The actuation method as well as the control strategies are analyzed. The reviewed magnetic micro-robots highlight the ability of wireless actuation and show that high velocities can be reached. However, major issues on actuation and control must be overcome in order to perform complex micro-manipulation tasks

Power-Scavenging MEMS Robots

This thesis includes the design, modeling, and testing of novel, power-scavenging, biologically inspired MEMS microrobots. Over one hundred 500-μm and 990-μm microrobots with two, four, and eight wings were designed, fabricated, characterized. These microrobots constitute the smallest documented attempt at powered flight. Each microrobot wing is comprised of downward-deflecting, laser-powered thermal actuators made of gold and polysilicon; the microrobots were fabricated in PolyMUMPs® (Polysilicon Multi-User MEMS Processes). Characterization results of the microrobots illustrate how wing-tip deflection can be maximized by optimizing the gold-topolysilicon ratio as well as the dimensions of the actuator-wings. From these results, an optimum actuator-wing configuration was identified. It also was determined that the actuator-wing configuration with maximum deflection and surface area yet minimum mass had the greatest lift-to-weight ratio. Powered testing results showed that the microrobots successfully scavenged power from a remote 660-nm laser. These microrobots also demonstrated rapid downward flapping, but none achieved flight. The results show that the microrobots were too heavy and lacked sufficient wing surface area. It was determined that a successfully flying microrobot can be achieved by adding a robust, light-weight material to the optimum actuator-wing configuration—similar to insect wings. The ultimate objective of the flying microrobot project is an autonomous, fully maneuverable flying microrobot that is capable of sensing and acting upon a target. Such a microrobot would be capable of precise lethality, accurate battle-damage assessment, and successful penetration of otherwise inaccessible targets

Department of Computer Science Activity 1998-2004

This report summarizes much of the research and teaching activity of the Department of Computer Science at Dartmouth College between late 1998 and late 2004. The material for this report was collected as part of the final report for NSF Institutional Infrastructure award EIA-9802068, which funded equipment and technical staff during that six-year period. This equipment and staff supported essentially all of the department\u27s research activity during that period

Microrobots for wafer scale microfactory: design fabrication integration and control.

Future assembly technologies will involve higher automation levels, in order to satisfy increased micro scale or nano scale precision requirements. Traditionally, assembly using a top-down robotic approach has been well-studied and applied to micro-electronics and MEMS industries, but less so in nanotechnology. With the bloom of nanotechnology ever since the 1990s, newly designed products with new materials, coatings and nanoparticles are gradually entering everyone’s life, while the industry has grown into a billion-dollar volume worldwide. Traditionally, nanotechnology products are assembled using bottom-up methods, such as self-assembly, rather than with top-down robotic assembly. This is due to considerations of volume handling of large quantities of components, and the high cost associated to top-down manipulation with the required precision. However, the bottom-up manufacturing methods have certain limitations, such as components need to have pre-define shapes and surface coatings, and the number of assembly components is limited to very few. For example, in the case of self-assembly of nano-cubes with origami design, post-assembly manipulation of cubes in large quantities and cost-efficiency is still challenging. In this thesis, we envision a new paradigm for nano scale assembly, realized with the help of a wafer-scale microfactory containing large numbers of MEMS microrobots. These robots will work together to enhance the throughput of the factory, while their cost will be reduced when compared to conventional nano positioners. To fulfill the microfactory vision, numerous challenges related to design, power, control and nanoscale task completion by these microrobots must be overcome. In this work, we study three types of microrobots for the microfactory: a world’s first laser-driven micrometer-size locomotor called ChevBot，a stationary millimeter-size robotic arm, called Solid Articulated Four Axes Microrobot (sAFAM), and a light-powered centimeter-size crawler microrobot called SolarPede. The ChevBot can perform autonomous navigation and positioning on a dry surface with the guidance of a laser beam. The sAFAM has been designed to perform nano positioning in four degrees of freedom, and nanoscale tasks such as indentation, and manipulation. And the SolarPede serves as a mobile workspace or transporter in the microfactory environment

Particle Computation: Complexity, Algorithms, and Logic

We investigate algorithmic control of a large swarm of mobile particles (such as robots, sensors, or building material) that move in a 2D workspace using a global input signal (such as gravity or a magnetic field). We show that a maze of obstacles to the environment can be used to create complex systems. We provide a wide range of results for a wide range of questions. These can be subdivided into external algorithmic problems, in which particle configurations serve as input for computations that are performed elsewhere, and internal logic problems, in which the particle configurations themselves are used for carrying out computations. For external algorithms, we give both negative and positive results. If we are given a set of stationary obstacles, we prove that it is NP-hard to decide whether a given initial configuration of unit-sized particles can be transformed into a desired target configuration. Moreover, we show that finding a control sequence of minimum length is PSPACE-complete. We also work on the inverse problem, providing constructive algorithms to design workspaces that efficiently implement arbitrary permutations between different configurations. For internal logic, we investigate how arbitrary computations can be implemented. We demonstrate how to encode dual-rail logic to build a universal logic gate that concurrently evaluates and, nand, nor, and or operations. Using many of these gates and appropriate interconnects, we can evaluate any logical expression. However, we establish that simulating the full range of complex interactions present in arbitrary digital circuits encounters a fundamental difficulty: a fan-out gate cannot be generated. We resolve this missing component with the help of 2x1 particles, which can create fan-out gates that produce multiple copies of the inputs. Using these gates we provide rules for replicating arbitrary digital circuits.Comment: 27 pages, 19 figures, full version that combines three previous conference article

Conceptual Study of Rotary-Wing Microrobotics

This thesis presents a novel rotary-wing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) robot design. Two MEMS wing designs were designed, fabricated and tested including one that possesses features conducive to insect level aerodynamics. Two methods for fabricating an angled wing were also attempted with photoresist and CrystalBond™ to create an angle of attack. One particular design consisted of the wing designs mounted on a gear which are driven by MEMS actuators. MEMS comb drive actuators were analyzed, simulated and tested as a feasible drive system. The comb drive resonators were also designed orthogonally which successfully rotated a gear without wings. With wings attached to the gear, orthogonal MEMS thermal actuators demonstrated wing rotation with limited success. Multi-disciplinary theoretical expressions were formulated to account for necessary mechanical force, allowable mass for lift, and electrical power requirements. The robot design did not achieve flight, but the small pieces presented in this research with minor modifications are promising for a potential complete robot design under 1 cm2 wingspan. The complete robot design would work best in a symmetrical quad-rotor configuration for simpler maneuverability and control. The military’s method to gather surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence could be transformed given a MEMS rotary-wing robot’s diminutive size and multi-role capabilities

Concept, modeling and experimental characterization of the modulated friction inertial drive (MFID) locomotion principle:application to mobile microrobots

A mobile microrobot is defined as a robot with a size ranging from 1 in3 down to 100 µm3 and a motion range of at least several times the robot's length. Mobile microrobots have a great potential for a wide range of mid-term and long-term applications such as minimally invasive surgery, inspection, surveillance, monitoring and interaction with the microscale world. A systematic study of the state of the art of locomotion for mobile microrobots shows that there is a need for efficient locomotion solutions for mobile microrobots featuring several degrees of freedom (DOF). This thesis proposes and studies a new locomotion concept based on stepping motion considering a decoupling of the two essential functions of a locomotion principle: slip generation and slip variation. The proposed "Modulated Friction Inertial Drive" (MFID) principle is defined as a stepping locomotion principle in which slip is generated by the inertial effect of a symmetric, axial vibration, while the slip variation is obtained from an active modulation of the friction force. The decoupling of slip generation and slip variation also has lead to the introduction of the concept of a combination of on-board and off-board actuation. This concept allows for an optimal trade-off between robot simplicity and power consumption on the one hand and on-board motion control on the other hand. The stepping motion of a MFID actuator is studied in detail by means of simulation of a numeric model and experimental characterization of a linear MFID actuator. The experimental setup is driven by piezoelectric actuators that vibrate in axial direction in order to generate slip and in perpendicular direction in order to vary the contact force. After identification of the friction parameters a good match between simulation and experimental results is achieved. MFID motion velocity has shown to depend sinusoidally on the phase shift between axial and perpendicular vibration. Motion velocity also increases linearly with increasing vibration amplitudes and driving frequency. Two parameters characterizing the MFID stepping behavior have been introduced. The step efficiency ηstep expresses the efficiency with which the actuator is capable of transforming the axial vibration in net motion. The force ratio qF evaluates the ease with which slip is generated by comparing the maximum inertial force in axial direction to the minimum friction force. The suitability of the MFID principle for mobile microrobot locomotion has been demonstrated by the development and characterization of three locomotion modules with between 2 and 3 DOF. The microrobot prototypes are driven by piezoelectric and electrostatic comb drive actuators and feature a characteristic body length between 20 mm and 10 mm. Characterization results include fast locomotion velocities up to 3 mm/s for typical driving voltages of some tens of volts and driving frequencies ranging from some tens of Hz up to some kHz. Moreover, motion resolutions in the nanometer range and very low power consumption of some tens of µW have been demonstrated. The advantage of the concept of a combination of on-board and off-board actuation has been demonstrated by the on-board simplicity of two of the three prototypes. The prototypes have also demonstrated the major advantage of the MFID principle: resonance operation has shown to reduce the power consumption, reduce the driving voltage and allow for simple driving electronics. Finally, with the fabrication of 2 × 2 mm2 locomotion modules with 2 DOF, a first step towards the development of mm-sized mobile microrobots with on-board motion control is made

Designing LMPA-Based Smart Materials for Soft Robotics Applications

This doctoral research, Designing LMPA (Low Melting Point Alloy) Based Smart Materials for Soft Robotics Applications, includes the following topics: (1) Introduction; (2) Robust Bicontinuous Metal-Elastomer Foam Composites with Highly Tunable Mechanical Stiffness; (3) Actively Morphing Drone Wing Design Enabled by Smart Materials for Green Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; (4) Dynamically Tunable Friction via Subsurface Stiffness Modulation; (5) LMPA Wool Sponge Based Smart Materials with Tunable Electrical Conductivity and Tunable Mechanical Stiffness for Soft Robotics; and (6) Contributions and Future Work.Soft robots are developed to interact safely with environments. Smart composites with tunable properties have found use in many soft robotics applications including robotic manipulators, locomotors, and haptics. The purpose of this work is to develop new smart materials with tunable properties (most importantly, mechanical stiffness) upon external stimuli, and integrate these novel smart materials in relevant soft robots. Stiffness tunable composites developed in previous studies have many drawbacks. For example, there is not enough stiffness change, or they are not robust enough. Here, we explore soft robotic mechanisms integrating stiffness tunable materials and innovate smart materials as needed to develop better versions of such soft robotic mechanisms. First, we develop a bicontinuous metal-elastomer foam composites with highly tunable mechanical stiffness. Second, we design and fabricate an actively morphing drone wing enabled by this smart composite, which is used as smart joints in the drone wing. Third, we explore composite pad-like structures with dynamically tunable friction achieved via subsurface stiffness modulation (SSM). We demonstrate that when these composite structures are properly integrated into soft crawling robots, the differences in friction of the two ends of these robots through SSM can be used to generate translational locomotion for untethered crawling robots. Also, we further develop a new class of smart composite based on LMPA wool sponge with tunable electrical conductivity and tunable stiffness for soft robotics applications. The implications of these studies on novel smart materials design are also discussed