A high precise mobile positioning microrobot with macro/micro drivers

Abstract

A high precise mobile positioning microrobot is designed in this paper. The microrobot has macro and micro driving modes. The macro driving mode uses two smoovy motors to drive the microrobot quickly moving on a desktop in a huge range and accomplishing the first precise positioning in millimeter scale with wheels. The micro driving mode, using PZT stacks as micro driving elements and with the help of electromagnets, working on the inch-worm driving principle, can drive the microrobot moving in a small range and accomplishing the second high precise positioning in micron or nanometer scale. In order to switch the macro and micro driving modes, a torque motor driving a feed screw nut mechanics is applied. In order to enhance the flexible of the microrobot, batteries, driving circuits and wireless communication and others are all integrated in the microrobot. At last, an experimental system is built up by using global CCD camera and local microscopes as measuring equipments and then a micro gear assembly experiment is done by the microrobot.