Consturction and Evaluation of Micro-Object Manipulation System with Concentrated Motion.

In this paper, a design concept of a micro object manipulation system with concentrated motion is proposed. Based on this concept, a "micro-handling system" is realized, and evaluated by means of some micro-object handling operations. This system consists of a concentrated motion manipulator, a worktable and optical microscopes. In micro-object handling, it is most important that alloperations are always executed within the visual field of a microscope. To enable task execution within the visual field, a tool tip must always remain within the visual field, i. e., D. O. F. of the manipulator must essentially be configured so that all rotational centers of D. O. F. coincide with each other at the tool tip. Using this system, we succeeded in several micro-object handling operations such as assembly of a "micro-torii" (shinto shrine gate) and a micro-air turbine (dia. 500μm) as examples of assembly of small mechanical parts, and folding of a micro-"origami (paper folding)airplane" as examples of handling flexible objects. The capability and effectiveness of this system configuration are confirmed by these experimental operations.