Abstract
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are tiny machines built with techniques derived from the microelectronics industry. Very large numbers of MEMS can be conveniently fabricated in parallel. However, the control and assembly of such massively parallel microsystems gives rise to numerous challenges in modeling, algorithms, as well as in physical implementation.
In this presentation, we explore parallel micromanipulation and microassembly by investigating a cilia-like micro conveyor, a precision docking system for future “pico-satellites”, a walking microchip, and self-assembling micro devices.
Biography
Karl Bohringer is an Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering with adjunct appointments in Computer Science and Engineering and in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington. He received both his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science from Cornell University and his Diplom-Informatikerdegree from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. His current interests include micromanipulation and microassembly, distributed MEMS sensors and actuators, and MEMS bio-implants.
