Contactless Robotic Micromanipulation in Air Using a Magneto-Acoustic System

Precise and dexterous handling of micrometer- to millimeter-scale objects is a crucial and challenging factor for micromanipulation, especially in the fields of biotechnology, where delicate microcomponents can be easily damaged by contact during handling. Many complex microrobotic techniques, scaling from fully autonomous to teleoperated, have been developed to address the limitations individually. However, a scalable, reliable, and versatile method, which can be applied to a wide range of applications, is not present. This work uniquely combines the advantages of magnetic and acoustic micromanipulation methods to achieve three-dimensional, contactless, and semi-autonomous micromanipulation, with potential for full automation, for use in microassembly applications. Solid and liquid materials, with sizes less than 3 mm (down to 300 μm), are handled in a cylindrical workspace of 30 mm in height and 4 mm in diameter using acoustic levitation, while an externally applied magnetic field controls the orientation of magnetically active components. A maximum vertical positioning root-mean-square error of 1.5% of parts length was observed. This letter presents the concept, design, characterization, and modeling of the new method, along with a demonstration of a typical assembly process.