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Fast Scale Prototyping For Folded Millirobots, Aaron Hoover, Ronald Fearing
Fast Scale Prototyping For Folded Millirobots, Aaron Hoover, Ronald Fearing
Aaron M. Hoover
We present a set of tools and a process, making use of inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials, that enable the rapid realization of fully functional large scale prototypes of folded mobile millirobots. By mimicking the smart composite microstructure (SCM) process at a 2–10X scale using posterboard, and commonly available polymer films, we can realize a prototype design in a matter of minutes compared with days for a complicated SCM design at the small scale. The time savings enable a significantly shorter design cycle by allowing forimmediate discovery of design flaws and introduction of design improvements prior to beginning construction at …
Rapidly Prototyped Orthotweezers For Automated Microassembly, Aaron Hoover, Ronald Fearing
Rapidly Prototyped Orthotweezers For Automated Microassembly, Aaron Hoover, Ronald Fearing
Aaron M. Hoover
We describe the design, fabrication, and testing of an ultra-low cost orthotweezers system for microassembly. By utilizing rapid prototyping technology, compliant mechanisms, and commodity-grade actuators and sensors, we significantly reduce the complexity and cost of the previous Orthotweezers system without sacrificing functionality. With a force resolution of 0.7mN and a worst case mean positioning repeatability of 23 mum, the system is capable of dexterously manipulating rectangular parts with dimensions 200 mum times 200 mum times 100 mum. Such blocks can then be temporarily attached to thin, delicate, or oddly shaped parts to enable handling and ultimately assembly of micromechanical structures. …