ARETE ASSOCIATES — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: Arete Associates, in collaboration with the NanoRobotics Laboratory of Carnegie Mellon Uni

Description

Arete Associates, in collaboration with the NanoRobotics Laboratory of Carnegie Mellon University, plans to design and demonstrate a desktop-sized assembly system utilizing a coordinated team of micro-robots. Called MECA-BOTS (Miniature Electromagnetically Controlled Assembler Robot Swarm), this system will be used to construct items and materials of interest to the Navy and the DoD. The micro-robots will operate in parallel to maneuver micro-scale components, thereby producing multi-functional materials and devices difficult or impossible to construct using conventional machining methods. Actuation of the untethered micro-robots will be through a combination of controlled electric and magnetic fields while operating within the assembly workspace. Coordination and control of the micro-robots in the swarm will be handled via a purpose-specific desktop computer system. Each micro-robot will have access to micro-tools and will have a set of simple tasks to accomplish with those tools. Each individual"s contribution to the assembly will be minimal, but by coordinating large numbers of micro-robots to work together, complex, smart material systems will be fabricated with unique properties and capabilities.