Cornell University

Qingkun Liu

Itai Cohen

Marc Miskin

Wei Wang

Paul McEUEN

Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for fabrication of moving, actuatable structures at micron scales that can be electronically controlled using low power and low voltages. Also disclosed are microscale robots having such microscale actuator structures to actuate the robots' movements as well as devices, systems, and methods for fabrication of microscale robots. The disclosed methods of fabrication are compatible with standard semiconductor technologies.

Compact actuators, electrically programmable microscale surface oxide memory actuators and related robotic devices

An artificial cilium device includes a substrate and a voltage-actuated cilia-shaped structure attached at a proximal end to the substrate. The voltage-actuated cilia-shaped structure has a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material. The second layer of the second material includes an exposed surface that causes the cilia-shaped structure to, in a working medium, (a) change shape from a first shape to a second shape responsive to application of a first voltage and (b) change shape from the second shape to the first shape responsive to application of a second voltage different than the first voltage.

Growing community of inventors

Ithaca, NY, United States of America

Qingkun Liu