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Using biological principles to design MEMS

In micromechanics the handling and positioning of microparts involves sophisticated assembly procedures and a good understanding of microtribological phenomena. Due to the very low object mass, adhesion between the micropart and the handling tool (usually a mechanical gripper) becomes a performance-limiting factor. Adhesion effects can be even larger than the force that frees the micropart from the handling tool thus making correct positioning impossible. Many useful design principles for optimized adhesion properties can be found in biological systems. In this paper adhesion between the foot of an insect and a surface was evaluated. The attachment pads of the great green bush cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) - used to attach the insect safely to a variety of different surfaces - were investigated to draw conclusions that could be implemented in future technical microsystems. It is shown that the attachment pads are flexible micromechanical units capable of self-adjusting to different scales of roughness. The erratic influence of capillary action due to adsorbed water is presumably suppressed by a hydrophobic layer on the pads. Attaching and releasing mechanisms as well as accurate measurement of the adhesion force are discussed in detail.