A Compact Manually Actuated Micromanipulator

• Published in: Journal of microelectromechanical systems Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 7 - 9
• Main Authors: Bin-Da Chan, Mateen, F., Chun-Li Chang, Icoz, K., Savran, C. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.02.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Actuation; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Grabs; Head; Immobilization techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Liquids; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Media; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microgripper; micromanipulator; Micromanipulators; Micromechanical devices and systems; Micrometers; Microparticles; microstamping; microtweezer; Physics; Placement; Precision engineering, watch making; Sensors; Silicon; Spots; Stem cells; Stress; Three dimensional; Printing; Microgripper; Precision engineering; Measurement sensor; microstamping; Separation method; Gripper; microtweezer; Microparticle; Silicon; Micromanipulation; micromanipulator; Microelectromechanical device; Interface
• ISSN: 1057-7157; 1941-0158
• DOI: 10.1109/JMEMS.2011.2174431

This letter reports a compact, versatile, and user-friendly micromanipulator that uses an elastically deformable silicon microtweezer to grab microentities, and a micrometer head for rotational manual actuation. The micro-/macroconnection is achieved via a graphite interface that results in a compact and portable design and placement on most translation stages. The system which can operate in both air and liquid, and transport objects between the two media, has a wide range of applications. We demonstrate but a few of them, including in situ construction of microstructures in 3-D, isolation and placement of individual microparticles on designated spots on sensors, on-demand microcontact printing of microparticles, and manipulation of live stem cell spheres.