Arrays of electrostatic MEMS actuators have been fabricated using a modi ed, multi-layer SCREAM (SingleCrystal Reactive Etching and Metallization) process. The devices consist of released, torsionally suspended grids with high aspect ratio single-crystal silicon (SCS) tips. They can be used to generate a force eld for the manipulation of small, at objects. Calculations and experiments show that...

Design of mobile micro-robot (MMR) is still a challenge due to the restricted availability of basic components. However, the number of highly integrated microelectronic and micromechanical components is growing fast. Nevertheless, its integration to a micro-system requires a good knowledge of all the interactions between sensor, actuator, computation and energy source. Often compromises between...

The demand for automatic quality inspection of individual micro components increases strongly in micro optoelectronics industry. In many cases, quality inspection of those micro components needs dexterous microhandling. However, automatic dexterous handling of micro components is a very challenging issue which is barely explored. This paper presents a high-DOF (degrees of freedom) automatic dex...

In automated assembly, before parts can be put together, they often have to be appropriately oriented and positioned. The device performing this task is generally referred to as a part feeder. A new class of devices for non-prehensible distributed manipulation, such as MEMS actuator arrays, vibrating plates, etc., provides an alternative to traditional mechanical platforms for part feeding. The...

In automated assembly, before parts can be put together, they often have to be appropriately oriented and positioned. The device performing this task is generally referred to as a part feeder. A new class of devices for non-prehensible distributed manipulation, such as MEMS actuator arrays, vibrating plates, etc., provides an alternative to traditional mechanical platforms for part feeding. The...

In many MEMS applications there is a requirement for actuating a structure. This paper describes a method of generating acoustic power from a PZT based thick-film structure which gives output power and electrical efficiencies at least as good as, and in some cases better than bulk PZT in the same application.

We present a new tri-electrode topology for reducing the control voltage for electrostatic actuators. Conventional parallel plate actuators are dual-electrode systems, formed by the MEMS structure and the drive electrode. By placing a perforated intermediate electrode between these elements, a tri-electrode configuration is formed. This topology enables a low voltage on the intermediate electro...

Title of dissertation: CONTROL OF LARGE ACTUATOR ARRAYS USING PATTERN-FORMING SYSTEMS Eric W. Justh, Doctor of Philosophy, 1998 Dissertation directed by: Professor P.S. Krishnaprasad Department of Electrical Engineering Pattern-forming systems are used to model many diverse phenomena from biology, chemistry, and physics. These systems of differential equations have the property that as a bifurc...

The design, manufacture and testing of micro-sensors and -actuators for aerodynamic drag reduction by flow control is described. Key factors in the designs are discussed, for example, the type and shape of the actuator electrodes affect the critical parameters of frequency response and deflection amplitude. Some aspects of future work are also covered. 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A single photomechanical supramolecular nanowire actuator with an azobenzene-containing 1,3,5-tricarboxamide derivative is developed by employing a direct writing method. Single nanowires display photoinduced reversible bending and the bending behavior follows first-order kinetics associated with azobenzene photoisomerization. A wireless photomechanical nanowire tweezers that remotely manipulat...