Microbotics
Encyclopedia
Microbotics is the field of miniature robotics, in particular mobile robots with characteristic dimensions less than 1 mm. The term can also be used for robots capable of handling micrometer size components.
Microbotics is that branch of robotics, which deals with the study and application of miniature ones like mobile robots of micrometre scale.
While the 'micro' prefix has been used subjectively to mean small, standardizing on length scales avoids confusion. Thus a nanorobot would have characteristic dimensions at or below 1 micrometer, or manipulate components on the 1 to 1000 nm size range. A microrobot would have characteristic dimensions less than 1 millimeter, a millirobot would have dimensions less than a cm, a minirobot would have dimensions less than 10 cm, and a small robot would have dimensions less than 100 cm.
The earliest research and conceptual design of such small robots was conducted in the early 1970s in (then) classified
research for U.S. intelligence agencies. Applications envisioned at that time included prisoner of war
rescue assistance and electronic intercept missions. The underlying miniaturization support technologies were not fully developed at that time, so that progress in prototype
development was not immediately forthcoming from this early set of calculations and concept design. (ESL Inc., 1970)
The concept of building very small robot
s, and benefiting from recent advances in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
Due to their small size, microbots are potentially very cheap, and could be used in large numbers (swarm robotics
) to explore environments which are too small or too dangerous for people or larger robots. It is expected that microbots will be useful in applications such as looking for survivors in collapsed buildings after an earthquake, or crawling through the digestive tract. What microbots lack in brawn or computational power, they can make up for by using large numbers, as in swarms of microbots.
Microbots were born thanks to the appearance of the microcontroller
in the last decade of the 20th century, and the appearance of miniature mechanical systems on silicon (MEMS), although many microbots do not use silicon for mechanical components other than sensors.
One of the major challenges in developing a microrobot is to achieve motion using a very limited power supply
. The microrobots can use a small lightweight battery
source like a coin cell or can scavenge power from the surrounding environment in the form of vibration
or light energy. Microrobots are also now using biological motors as power sources, such as flagellated Serratia marcescens
, to draw chemical power from the surrounding fluid to actuate the robotic device. These biorobots can be directly controlled by stimuli such as chemotaxis
or galvanotaxis with several control schemes available.
Nowadays, owing chiefly to wireless
connections, like Wi-Fi
(i.e. in domotic networks) the microbot's communication capacity has risen, so it can coordinate with other microbots to carry out more complex tasks.
As of 2008, the smallest microrobots use a Scratch Drive Actuator
.
Microbotics is that branch of robotics, which deals with the study and application of miniature ones like mobile robots of micrometre scale.
While the 'micro' prefix has been used subjectively to mean small, standardizing on length scales avoids confusion. Thus a nanorobot would have characteristic dimensions at or below 1 micrometer, or manipulate components on the 1 to 1000 nm size range. A microrobot would have characteristic dimensions less than 1 millimeter, a millirobot would have dimensions less than a cm, a minirobot would have dimensions less than 10 cm, and a small robot would have dimensions less than 100 cm.
The earliest research and conceptual design of such small robots was conducted in the early 1970s in (then) classified
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
research for U.S. intelligence agencies. Applications envisioned at that time included prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
rescue assistance and electronic intercept missions. The underlying miniaturization support technologies were not fully developed at that time, so that progress in prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
development was not immediately forthcoming from this early set of calculations and concept design. (ESL Inc., 1970)
The concept of building very small robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s, and benefiting from recent advances in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
Microelectromechanical systems
Microelectromechanical systems is the technology of very small mechanical devices driven by electricity; it merges at the nano-scale into nanoelectromechanical systems and nanotechnology...
Due to their small size, microbots are potentially very cheap, and could be used in large numbers (swarm robotics
Swarm robotics
Swarm robotics is a new approach to the coordination of multirobot systems which consist of large numbers of mostly simple physical robots. It is supposed that a desired collective behavior emerges from the interactions between the robots and interactions of robots with the environment...
) to explore environments which are too small or too dangerous for people or larger robots. It is expected that microbots will be useful in applications such as looking for survivors in collapsed buildings after an earthquake, or crawling through the digestive tract. What microbots lack in brawn or computational power, they can make up for by using large numbers, as in swarms of microbots.
Microbots were born thanks to the appearance of the microcontroller
Microcontroller
A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. Program memory in the form of NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM...
in the last decade of the 20th century, and the appearance of miniature mechanical systems on silicon (MEMS), although many microbots do not use silicon for mechanical components other than sensors.
One of the major challenges in developing a microrobot is to achieve motion using a very limited power supply
Power supply
A power supply is a device that supplies electrical energy to one or more electric loads. The term is most commonly applied to devices that convert one form of electrical energy to another, though it may also refer to devices that convert another form of energy to electrical energy...
. The microrobots can use a small lightweight battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
source like a coin cell or can scavenge power from the surrounding environment in the form of vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
or light energy. Microrobots are also now using biological motors as power sources, such as flagellated Serratia marcescens
Serratia marcescens
Serratia marcescens is a species of Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium in the family Enterobacteriaceae. A human pathogen, S. marcescens is involved in nosocomial infections, particularly catheter-associated bacteremia, urinary tract infections and wound infections, and is responsible for 1.4% of...
, to draw chemical power from the surrounding fluid to actuate the robotic device. These biorobots can be directly controlled by stimuli such as chemotaxis
Chemotaxis
Chemotaxis is the phenomenon in which somatic cells, bacteria, and other single-cell or multicellular organisms direct their movements according to certain chemicals in their environment. This is important for bacteria to find food by swimming towards the highest concentration of food molecules,...
or galvanotaxis with several control schemes available.
Nowadays, owing chiefly to wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
connections, like Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
(i.e. in domotic networks) the microbot's communication capacity has risen, so it can coordinate with other microbots to carry out more complex tasks.
As of 2008, the smallest microrobots use a Scratch Drive Actuator
Scratch Drive Actuator
A Scratch Drive Actuator is a Microelectromechanical system device that converts electrical energy into one-dimensional motion.The actuator component can come in many shapes and sizes, depending on the fabrication method used. It can be visualised as an 'L'...
.
See also
- Domestic robotDomestic robotA domestic robot is a robot used for household chores. Thus far, there are only a few limited models, though science fiction writers and other speculators have suggested that they could become more common in the future...
- Intelligent Small World Autonomous Robots for Micro-manipulationIntelligent Small World Autonomous Robots for Micro-manipulationIntelligent Small World Autonomous Robots for Micro-manipulation is a European research project to develop millimeter-scale robots for dangerous activities. It is coordinated by Jörg Seyfried at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany...
- Micro flying robotMicro flying robotThe Micro Flying Robot is the world’s smallest and lightest robot helicopter prototype, which was developed by Seiko Epson and demonstrated at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo in Nov 2003...
- RobotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
- SmartdustSmartdustSmartdust is a hypothetical system of many tiny microelectromechanical systems such as sensors, robots, or other devices, that can detect, for example, light, temperature, vibration, magnetism or chemicals; are usually networked wirelessly; and are distributed over some area to perform tasks,...
- Biorobot