3 Experimental Devices and Setup

Several groups have described efforts to apply MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) actuators to positioning, inspection, and assembly tasks with small parts [50, 3, 37, 24, 45, for example]. However, the fabrication, control, and programming of micro-devices that can interact and actively change their environment remains challenging. Problems arise from

1. the limited range of motion and force that can be generated with microactuators,

2. the lack of sufficient sensor information with regard to manipulation tasks,

3. design limitations and geometric tolerances due to the fabrication process, and

4. uncertain material properties and the lack of adequate models for mechanisms at very small scales.

Figure 4: Released asymmetric actuator for the M-Chip (scanning electron microscopy). Left Dense grid (10 ?m spacing) with aluminum, electrode underneath. Right Grid with 5 ?m high poles.

Figure 5: Released M-Chip actuator consisting of single-crystal silicon with 5 ?m high tips, suspended 5 ?m above the silicon substrate.

In the following subsections we describe two different types of actuator arrays: single-crystal silicon (SCS) electrostatic actuators, and combined thermobimorph and electrostatic organic micro cilia.