For assembly and testing purposes, for example, assembly or testing of
hybrid circuit modules, millimeter and smaller size objects need to be
transported over distances on the order of several object diameters.
In order to handle these sub-millimeter size mechanical or electronic
components, a miniature manipulator system has been developed. There
are many advantages to shrinking robots and mechanical actuators to
the same size as the parts to be manipulated. Extremely delicate
forces can be applied, robots can be readily parallelizable, and the
relative accuracy required can be markedly reduced. One of the major
difficulties in building millimeter scale micro-robots is overcoming
forces due to friction and wiring. Friction forces can be reduced by
using levitation or using fluid lubrication, such as an air-bearing.
Here are some initial steps towards implementing a
miniature robotic system using magnetically driven platforms about 7
mm square on a 35 mm square workspace. The position of the platform is
sensed using an array-type capacitive proximity sensor. The system
should be scalable to one tenth the present size. The mobile
platforms will be used in cooperation to grab and position small
objects.
Generic model of miniature
planar robotic workcell.
The goal is to build a system on which miniature parts can be
transported, tested, and assembled.
1995 version with squeeze film
air bearing, magnet array, and integrated capacitor sensing.
Planar milli-robot system block diagram. Positions of
robots and parts are detected using capacitive sensing, and robots
are driven magnetically. The servo rate is 120 Hz, limited by
sensor electronics scan time. The sensor is an 8 by 8 array, and
the electromagnets are a 6 by 6 array.
Overall construction of the credit card robot system.
Magnet and sensor layers are laminated together on to a rigid base.
A squeeze-film air-bearing is formed by the 20KHz vertical vibration
of the piezo-electric driver. Typical air-bearing thickness is 5 to 10
microns.