Development of a force-reflection controlled micro underwater actuator

Abstract

The ability to manipulate and control biological cells with reflective-force information is a key technology necessary for many new applications in bio-MEMS, but is currently lacking in all cellular manipulators. We report our preliminary experimental work in using an ionic conducting polymer film (ICPF) to develop a biological cellular robotic gripper with force sensing capability. ICPF actuators are able to give large deflection with small input voltage (/spl sim/5V) in aqueous environments, and also able to give relatively large output voltage due to deflection by mechanical forces. Thus, ICPF actuators are investigated as possible cellular force-reflection controlled manipulators in our work. Individual multi-finger grippers with dimensions of 200/spl mu/m /spl times/ 200/spl mu/m /spl times/ 3000/spl mu/m for each finger were realized. We report on the design, fabrication procedures, and operating performance of our ICPF actuators. Further development in the reduction of size of these actuators will enable effective force-feedback control of underwater micro objects and lead to new frontiers in cellular manipulation.