High accuracy piezoelectric-based microrobot for biomedical applications

Today, the use of robots for self acting tasks in applications ranging from biology and medicine to microsystems technology demand miniaturized dimensions and high-precision handling techniques. Transport and manipulation of biological cells or assembly of micromechanical parts are the best-suited applications for microrobots with sizes about cm/sup 3/. The kind of actuator used for locomotion is a crucial part when a miniaturised robot for micropositioning and micromanipulating is developed. Demands on low cost, high resolution and small size make piezoceramic actuators an attractive alternative. A "Smart Piezoactuator Unit" (SPU) has been developed and will be used in a new generation of microrobots with a size of a few cm/sup 3/. The main characteristics of this "Smart Piezoactuator Unit" are presented in this paper. An integrated circuit containing power drivers and a digital control system with a fast serial interface protocol has been designed. Integrating this circuit close to the piezoceramic actuators results in a compact and a minimal number of connecting wires to the robot.

[1]  Hussein Ballan,et al.  High Voltage Devices and Circuits in Standard CMOS Technologies , 1998 .

[2]  Sergej Fatikow,et al.  Microsystem Technology and Microrobotics , 1997, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

[3]  R. Castello,et al.  A high-performance micropower switched-capacitor filter , 1985, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[4]  Victor M. Bright,et al.  Prototype microrobots for micro-positioning and micro-unmanned vehicles , 2000 .

[5]  Stefan Johansson,et al.  Characteristics of a piezoelectric miniature motor , 1999 .

[6]  G. Stemme,et al.  A robust micro conveyer realized by arrayed polyimide joint actuators , 1999, Technical Digest. IEEE International MEMS 99 Conference. Twelfth IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Cat. No.99CH36291).

[7]  Sylvain Martel,et al.  NanoWalker: a fully autonomous highly integrated miniature robot for nanoscale measurements , 1999, Industrial Lasers and Inspection.

[8]  Urban Simu,et al.  Multilayered piezoceramic microactuators formed by milling in the green state , 1999, Smart Materials, Nano-, and Micro- Smart Systems.