Flexible microrobots for micro assembly tasks

A wide range of microcomponents can today be produced using various microfabrication techniques, The assembly of complex microsystems consisting of several single components (i.e., hybrid microsystems) is, however, a difficult task that is seen to be a real challenge for the robotic research community. It is necessary to conceive flexible, highly precise and fast microassembly methods. In this paper, the development of a microrobot-based microassembly station is presented. Mobile piezoelectric microrobots with dimensions of some cm/sup 3/ and with at least 5 DOF can perform various manipulations either under a light microscope or inside the vacuum chamber of a scanning electron microscope. The components of the station developed and its control system are described. The latter comprises a vision-based sensor system for automatic robot control and user interfaces for semi-automated control and teleoperation. First results of the SEM-based micro assembly, handling of biological cells and integration of force microsensors into our microrobots are presented as well.

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