MEMS/MicroRobotics
MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and Microrobotics research spans design methodologies, physical investigations and manufacturing techniques involving various microsensors, microactuators and other microsystems. Selected applications include inertial sensor suites for control and guidance, miniature wall-climbing robots using micro/nano-fiber adhesives, arrayed MEMS probe manipulators for tip-based nanomanufacturing, gas chemical sensor arrays for early warning systems, and ultra-compliant neural probes for brain-computer interfaces.
MEMS and Microrobotics RI faculty have developed strong multidisciplinary research programs on integrated MEMS design and fabrication (Fedder), micro and nanorobotic systems (Sitti), and implantable medical microsystems (Fedder, Weiss). This research links the RI to many departments throughout the University through active collaborations with faculty from across CIT and MCS as well as with Pitt and UPMC. These RI faculty members also have joint appointments in other entities. Expanded research in micro-inertial navigation technologies (Kelly and Fedder) is also planned to target new DOD initiatives.
The future for research in MEMS and microrobotics remains bright, with trends toward use of the technology to access and manipulate nano-scale phenomena as well as to enable emerging biomedical applications. RI faculty are taking leads in these areas in collaboration with faculty throughout the University. One of the challenges faced is to merge systems across macro-, micro-, and nano-scales. CMU's planned Nano/Bio/Energy Building (2014 expected date of completion) for nano- and biotechnologies will facilitate efforts in this area by providing state-of-the-art shared infrastructure for nano/microfabrication. In addition, a budding collaboration in multi-scale factory automation (Hollis, Fedder) is leveraging renewed efforts in reconfigurable, high-precision minifactories (Hollis).
Table of Contents
Faculty
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Gary
Fedder -
Ralph
Hollis -
Alonzo
Kelly -
Metin
Sitti -
Lee
Weiss
Project Images
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Water Strider
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Gas Chemical Sensor
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Probe
Publications
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Design of a multi-axis implantable MEMS sensor for intraosseous bone stress monitoring
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Modeling and Experimental Characterization of an Untethered Magnetic Micro-Robot
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Surface-Tension-Driven Biologically Inspired Water
Strider Robots: Theory and Experiments
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Design of a multi-axis implantable MEMS
sensor for intraosseous bone stress monitoring
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Robust gold nanoparticles stabilized by
trithiol for application in chemiresistive sensors