MICROROBOTICS

MICROROBOTICS, a field in Science and Technology that combines the study and development of microrobots (less than 1 cm with movement and manipulation accuracy of less than 1 µm). It is also responsible for research and development of instruments, equipment, devices, and algorithms, for their control. They are used in the production of micro‑electromechanical systems, for remote and non‑destructive control of hard‑to‑reach cavities in various structures: in micro‑surgery, in surgeons applying cell material manipulations, in manipulations within the microscopic field of view, in unmanned aerial vehicles, and for mine clearing. In 1996, B.G.Ilyasov and Karlsruhe University (Germany) helped to launch an academic and research laboratory in USATU. Since then, they have introduced a line of mobile piezoelectric microrobots “MicRob” with accuracy of up to 10 nm, performing high precision manipulations under the microscope. Since 2000, USATU (O.V.Darintsev, A.B.Migranov, R.A.Munasypov), the Institute of Mechanics (S.F.Urmancheyev) and since 2005, the Institute for Advanced Material Physics (R.Z.Valiyev) have carried out joint studies. They have obtained 18 Russian patents for new models of microrobots, actuators and micro‑gripping devices.