MiCRoN

Artist's impression of collaborating micro-robots	Overview of MiCRoN environment
Closeup of MiCRoN environment	Gripper imaged with micro-camera
Microscope image with limited depth of field (934kByte video)	Detection/tracking of micro-gripper and capacitor (2.78 MByte video)

The MiCRoN Project

Objective

The goal of the European Union IST project MiCRoN was the development of a multi-robot manipulation system capable of handling µm-sized objects. The system is based on a small cluster of about a few cubic-centimetre-sized robots. Each robot is equipped with onboard electronics for communications and control. These robots are controlled by infrared communication and they can be equipped with various tools such as syringe-chips, grippers or AFM probes. The aim of the project was to automatically perform tasks like injecting cells with fluids or soldering SMD micro resistors.

Members

Members from Uppsala, Lausanne, St. Ingbert, Athens, Pisa, Barcelona, Karlsruhe and Sheffield have participated in this project. The task of the MMVL was to develop the computer vision software.

Computer Vision

Computer vision for microscopes has to deal with the problem of limited depth of field. But instead of trying to overcome this, one can actually use the depth information concealed in this images.

By using focus-stacks as models it was possible to provide real-time object recognition of multiple objects in up to 4 degrees-of-freedom. The micro-objects are not required to stay at a fixed distance to the camera any more. Novel automated procedures in biology and micro-technology are thus conceivable.

See Also

• MiCRoN Test Environment
• MiCRoN Microscope Environment
• MiCRoN Microscope Vision Software
• Mimas

External Links

• Official project page
  • Applications
• MiCRoN MMVL private section
• Official MMVL MiCRoN homepage
  • Computer Vision for Microscopes
• NanoWalker project
• Microdynamic Systems Lab at Carnegie Mellon University
• IPR Microrobotics Wiki
• 6-DOF Visual Feedback for Microassembly with two microscope cameras at ETH
• Neurobotics project
• Cognitive Robot Companion project (publication list)
• Papers
  • Micro manipulation by adhesion with two collaborating mobile micro robots, W. Driesen et al 2005 J. Micromech. Microeng.
• Publicity
  • The MiCRoN project in IST-feature
  • The MiCRoN project on Slashdot!
  • The MiCRoN project on Robots.net!
  • The MiCRoN project on ZDNet!
  • The MiCRoN project on Primidi.com!
  • The MiCRoN project on Medicalnewstoday.com
  • The MiCRoN project on Therawfeed.com
  • The MiCRoN project on CCN News
  • The MiCRoN project on Innovations-Report.com
  • The MiCRoN project on technologyreview.com