Design of an Electrostatic MEMS Microgripper System Integrated with Force Sensor

This work presents the design of a microgripper integrated with force sensor using electrostatic actuation. The single capacitance sensor used in the design can also operate as an actuator when force sensing is not required. The design is optimized in the standard MEMS technolog SOIMUMPs. An input voltage of 85V produces a force of 384 mu N and a displacement of 15 mu m. In dual actuation mode, the gripper jaws are displaced 15 mu m at an input voltage of 60V. A concept of two stage jaw is given which increases the range of object size gripped to 30 mu m without increasing the size or input voltage of the actuator.