Microtechnologies for microscaled robots and components

The key technology for scaling of robots and its components to the millimetre and submillimetre range is micromachining technology which is considered in this paper. Components, such as sensors and actuators fabricated by silicon micromachining are reviewed from the point of view of microscaled robotics. For microrobots there is a demand on microactuators for propulsion with low power requirements and high spatial resolution in handling small parts with small forces. On the basis of micromachining technology an integration of actuators and sensors, for example a gripper and a tactile sensor, will lead to high performance handling and motion control devices. Up to now silicon batch fabrication of a microscaled robot or even a microrobot on chip is not feasible. But, there are some initial approaches to develop 3D micromachined and assembled microrobots. In this paper two concepts on microscaled robots, the first using folded silicon structures and the second based on an electrostatic actuator with integrated air bearing for movable platforms are considered.