This work presents a method for folding 3D structures from planar microfabricated components using magnetics and an initial impulsive force. A scaling analysis demonstrates that magnetic folding can be particularly favorable at small scales and this analysis is validated through both a dynamic simulation and experimental results. Experimental results are provided by three planar-fabricated, multi-material, fold-up cubes at three different length scales (down to 1.25 mm). The three cubes folded using this method demonstrate behavior consistent with derived scaling properties, but the dynamic simulation model was deemed insufficient to capture specific details of the cubes' behavior.

This work presents highly flexible elastomer and silicon micro robotic mechanisms actuated using embedded permanent magnets manipulated by an external magnetic field. The mechanisms are fabricated using a process to incorporate elastomer hinges and other features into silicon MEMS, and a method for embedding small magnets via press-fit into an elastomer sleeve. Fabricated mechanisms have demonstrated in-plane bending, out of plane bending, and underactuated compliant gripping. In-plane bending mechanisms have achieved up to 150° of deflection, out of plane bending mechanisms have achieved up to 90° bending perpendicular to the surface of the chip, and the 4.4 mm × 3.8 mm × 0.3 mm gripper can passively grip objects up to 1.5 mm in size and as small as 0.5 mm. The mechanisms demonstrated can be used as actuated portions of larger mechanisms, for out-of-plane assembly, or for on-chip manipulation.

This paper introduces a new, 50g miniature robot (Figure 1 and attached video) that uses four direct-drive hybrid wheel/legs and has been clocked at speeds exceeding 30 body lengths/s. The lowest recorded cost of transport (defined as total energy to move the robot mass a given distance) is 0.90. We discuss hardware considerations for design of robots at this scale, and the benefits of a direct-drive system over coupled transmissions. We develop a simple simulation model to examine the effects of drive speed and mechanical properties of the legs, and compare the results with experimental data on efficiency and effectiveness of locomotion with various leg designs.

This paper describes a new process for fabricating planar, multi-material, compliant mechanisms, intended for use in small scale robotics. The process involves laser cutting the mechanism geometry from a rigid material, and refilling the joint areas with a second, elastomeric material. This method allows for a large set of potential materials, with a wide range of material properties, to be used in combination to create mechanisms with highly tailored mechanical properties. These multi-material compliant mechanisms have minimum feature sizes of approximately 100 µm and have demonstrated long lifetimes, easily surviving 100,000 bending cycles. We also present the first use of these compliant mechanisms in a 2.5cm × 2.5cm × 7.5cm, 6g hexapod. This hexapod has been demonstrated moving at speeds up to 6 cm/s, with a predicted maximum speed of up to 17 cm/s.