Interface electronics and controller for an electrostatically actuated MEMS based microgripper

Microgrippers are devices which are able to grab, hold and transport micron sized objects. For successful operation of any MEMS device, interface circuitry and control are mandatory elements. They enable the device to operate successfully and to remain under control throughout the operation. In this paper implementation of interface circuit and the control technique for the electrostatically actuated microgripper, integrated with force sensor (developed by the MEMS lab of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Science and Technology) are presented. The proposed interface circuitry is controlled via computer GUI. Interface circuitry is capable of providing ±30 V to ±90 V to the microgripper and can vary the voltage in steps of 0.1176 V. It can also sense the capacitance change in range of 0 to 33 fF. Controller enables the microgripper to grasp micro-objects with the help of force sensor. The designed system can also measure the size of a rigid microobject grasped by the microgripper.