One approach towards the fabrication of a microrobot system

One approach towards fabrication of a microrobotic system in the nearby future is presented. Three main fields are emphasised: the actuator, the system and the manufacturing technique. The microactuator suggested is a new inchworm motor with bimodal actuator elements. This design compensates for limited fabrication precision of motor elements and simplifies the construction. alisation of a commercially attractive prototype system is important to the progress of microrobotics. The system suggested here is a teleoperated microrobot arm for applications in biomedicine and in the optoelectronic industry. Hence, the performance demands are given and the components to be integrated in the system can be specified. A modular approach has been taken and adequate components should be: microelectronic chips with serial communication and motor control, inchworm motor components and solid 3D silicon microelements as basic building units. brication technique compatible with the modular construction is 3D hybrid assembly. Six DOF placements in combination with various processing tools are necessary for an arbitrary 3D micromechanical system such as the one suggested. The processing tools might be deposition and machining by a microprobe in a general sense. The basic assembling process will be low temperature bonding. The technique pursued at present is eutectic Au-Si bonding.