Japan STA Program: Structural Design Optimization of an Ultra Micro Manipulator

该奖项支持日本科学技术振兴机构（STA）在日本筑波机械工程实验室为James Nielsen博士提供为期9个月的博士后奖学金。尼尔森博士将与机器人系的研究科学家Tamio Tanikawa博士合作进行一个名为“超微机械臂的结构设计优化”的研究项目。提出的研究旨在优化超微机械臂的设计和功能，这是一种具有操纵生物细胞，微机械零件和其他小型物体所需的精度的设备。具体来说，分析将侧重于开发用于驱动机器人微型手的手指的“并行”机制的结构。选择一个并联机械手，它使用六个平行的腿来执行规定的活动，这是很自然的应用，因为设计具有高度的刚度和精度，所需的手指运动范围相对有限。该项目的主要目标将是优化用于生物技术、微机械和微外科技术的结构安排。＊＊＊

Nielsen 9724755 This award supports a nine month Science and Technology Agency of Japan (STA) Postdoctoral Fellowship for Dr. James Nielsen at the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, Tsukuba, Japan. Dr. Nielsen will work with Dr. Tamio Tanikawa, research scientist in the Department of Robotics, on a research project entitled, "Structural Design Optimization of an Ultra Micro Manipulator." The proposed research seeks to optimize both the design and function of an ultra-micro manipulator, a device which has the precision necessary to manipulate biological cells, micro-machined parts, and other small-scale objects. Specifically, the analysis will focus on developing the structure of an "in-parallel" mechanism used to actuate the fingers of a robotic micro hand. The choice of an in parallel manipulator, which uses six parallel legs to perform prescribed activities, is natural for this application in that the design possesses a high degree of both stiffness and precision and the required range of motion needed for the fingers is comparatively limited. The primary goal of the project will be to optimize the structural arrangement for use in biotechnological, micro machine, and micro-surgery techniques. ***