This research investigates manipulation tasks with arrays of micro electromechanical structures (MEMS). The PIs are developing a geometric model for the mechanics of micro actuators and a theory of massively parallel manipulation, and will develop efficient algorithms for their evaluation. They have designed, built, and tested prototype microfabricated actuators, and will demonstrate control strategies to manipulate small objects. In particular, the research will develop and implement sensorless actuator array control strategies to efficiently orient flat parts in the plane. The main objective of the research concerns the development of a science base for micro-scale manipulation. Manipulation strategies with reduced sensing have been highly successful in industrial manufacturing, e.g. in vibratory bowl feeders, or in systems such as the Sony APOS system. These strategies will be extended to the micro scale. A dense array of devices can be modeled as a vector field. The flow this field induces on a rigid body will be analyzed to develop, evaluate, and extend a theory of manipulation with micro-actuator arrays. It will be shown how simple actuator control strategies can be used to uniquely orient a part up to symmetry without sensor feedback. The manipulation algorithms are based on a theory of programmable vector fields, which is applicable to a wide range of micro-actuator arrays. The algorithms will be impl emented on physical micro-arrays to validate the theory. Strategies for orienting, sorting, and singulating parts using micro-arrays will be designed, implemented, and tested.
