Abstract-Mobile microrobots with characteristic dimensions on the order of 1cm are difficult to design using either MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology or precision machining. This is due to the challenges associated with constructing the high strength links and high-speed, low-loss joints with micron scale features required for such systems. Here we present an entirely new framework for creating microrobots which makes novel use of composite materials. This framework includes a new fabrication process termed Smart Composite Microstructures (SCM) for integrating rigid links and large angle flexure joints through a laser micromachining and lamination process. We also present solutions to actuation and integrated wiring issues at this scale using SCM. Along with simple design rules that are customized for this process, our new complete microrobotic framework is a cheaper, quicker, and altogether superior method for creating microrobots that we hope will become the paradigm for robots at this scale.
A 2 D 0 F res on an t t horax s t T U ct u re signed and fabricated for the MFI project. Miniature piezoelectric PZN-PT unimorph actuators were fabricated and used to drive a four-bar transmission mechanism. T h e current tho,rax design utilizes two actuated four-bars and a spherical joint t o drive a rigid wing. Rotationally compliant flexure joints have been tested with lifetimes over lo6 cycles. Wing spars were instrumented with strain gauges for force measurement and closed-loop wing control.
Abstract-The Micromechanical Flying Insect (MFI) project aims to create a 25 mm (wingtip to wingtip) flapping wing micro air vehicle inspired by the aerodynamics of insect flight. A key challenge is generating appropriate wing trajectories. Previous work [1] showed a lift of 506 µN at 160 Hz using feedforward control. In this paper, refinements to the MFI design including those in [2] increased wing beat frequency to 275 Hz and lift to 1400 µN using pure sinusoidal drive for a fixed benchtop experiment. We show through simplified aerodynamic models that not only do sinusoidal actuator drives produce close to maximal lift, but significantly improved wing trajectories due to non-sinusoidal actuator drives are practically unobtainable due to actuator limitations.
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