Microfabricated bistable module for digital microrobotics

High precision microrobots are needed more and more to perform micro/nanomanipulation and microassembly tasks in various environments like microrobotic stations, electronic microscopes (SEM, TEM), etc. Current microrobots are based on the use of smart materials to perform proportional or incremental actuation. To avoid the main drawbacks of these microrobots (non linearities, integration of sensors, robust control, energy consumption, sensitivity to noise), we propose a new type of microrobots, called digital microrobots, based on microfabricated bistable modules. The study presented in this paper is dedicated to the microfabricated bistable modules, notably the structure and the actuators design and characterization. The results open a new paradigm in the field of microrobotics leading to open loop control and the design of various kinematics adapted to the microworld. Moreover, no external energy is required to maintain the microrobot in its position. Microrobotics, Bistable mechanism, Thermal actuator, Open-loop control of robot.