Flexible micro manipulation platform based on tethered cm/sup 3/-sized mobile micro robots

Abstract

This paper presents a micro manipulation platform based on several cm3-sized mobile micro robots. The proposed platform consists of a high resolution XY stage with the mobile micro robots on top of it, a camera with a microscopic objective for the local view and a second camera for the overview and tracking of the robots. The concept of such a manipulation platform is discussed and the platform as it has been realized by the authors is described into detail. Two applications of AFM measurements with an onboard AFM-tool and micro manipulation by adhesion, realized with a similar setup, are discussed.