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World's smallest robot measures temperature
Bruce Wiebusch, Regional Editor -- Design News, April 23, 2001
A 1/4-cu inch robot developed at Sandia National Labs may be the world's smallest. So far, the little robot has only maneuvered its way through a field of dimes and nickels, but Sandia researcher Ed Heller, who developed the device's microelectronics, envisions driving it through pipes and other small passages, or locating mines in mine fields. "Right now, the robot can only move and sense temperature," says Heller. The robot travels at 20 inches/min. It uses three watch batteries and two tiny Smoovy motors from RMB (Ringwood, NJ) that drive track wheels like those found on bulldozers. The small, but mighty robot also has an 8K ROM processor and temperature sensor. "By eliminating the packaging and using electronic components in die form, we reduced the size of the robot," he says. Heller and other project researchers may add a camera, microphone, and communication device in the future. Sandia's Doug Adkins developed the robot's small mechanical design using stereolithography, a process that involves laying down thin layers of material that are cured using a laser. For more information, contact Heller at ejhelle@sandia.gov . Adkins' email address is dradkin@sandia.gov. For more information about RMB's Smoovy motors, go to www.smoovy.com .
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