Design of a Mobile Microrobot Based on Standing and Travelling Waves

Ramutis Bansevicius,Genadijus Kulvietis,Asta Drukteiniene,Inga Tumasoniene

doi:10.5772/56111

Abstract

The design of a mobile microrobot based on standing and travelling waves is proposed and analysed in this paper. Numerical modelling based on the finite element method is performed to find the resonant frequencies and modal shapes of a microrobot, and to calculate the trajectories of the upper points' movements under an excitation scheme. Geometric Path-Planning Algorithms for a piezoelectric hemispheric microrobot and an experimental study of this are presented in this paper.

Highlights

In many applications, it is very important to be able to precisely manipulate and position different types of objects which have a resolution in the nm range
In this paper we introduce a piezoelectric hemispheric microrobot with two alternative electrode schemes for generating a travelling wave and a standing wave
Commonly‐analysed motion trajectory formation methods for various types of robots are used such as polynomial interpolation [14, 15], interpolation by splines [16,17,18] and Cornu spiral [19]. All those methods are not acceptable, so a new geometric path‐planning algorithm was created and its application with a piezoelectric hemispheric microrobot is presented in this paper

Summary

Introduction

It is very important to be able to precisely manipulate and position different types of objects which have a resolution in the nm range. In 2000 a robot named MINIMAN III was presented It consisted of a platform with three piezo legs that bended in any direction while exciting electrodes of different voltages. Commonly‐analysed motion trajectory formation methods for various types of robots are used such as polynomial interpolation [14, 15], interpolation by splines [16,17,18] and Cornu spiral [19] All those methods are not acceptable, so a new geometric path‐planning algorithm was created and its application with a piezoelectric hemispheric microrobot is presented in this paper. They have a high‐ resolution motion and wide speed control range

Finite element method and results

Geometric Path‐Planning Algorithms

Conclusions