A flexible microrobotic platform for handling microscale specimens of fibrous materials for microscopic studies
P Saketi1, M Von Essen, M Mikczinski
1Micro- and Nanosystems Research Group, Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland. pooya.saketi@tut.fi
Abstract:
One of the most challenging issues faced in handling specimens for microscopy, is avoiding artefacts and structural changes in the samples caused by human errors. In addition, specimen handling is a laborious and time-consuming task and requires skilful and experienced personnel. This paper introduces a flexible microrobotic platform for the handling of microscale specimens of fibrous materials for various microscopic studies such as scanning electron microscopy and nanotomography. The platform is capable of handling various fibres with diameters ranging from 10 to 1000 μm and lengths of 100 μm-15 mm, and mounting them on different types of specimen holders without damaging them. This tele-operated microrobotic platform minimizes human interaction with the samples, which is one of the main sources contributory to introducing artefacts into the specimens. The platform also grants a higher throughput and an improved success rate of specimen handling, when compared to the manual processes. The operator does not need extensive experience of microscale manipulation and only a short training period is sufficient to operate the platform. The requirement of easy configurability for various samples and sample holders is typical in the research and development of materials in this field. Therefore, one of the main criteria for the design of the microrobotic platform was the ability to adapt the platform to different specimen handling methods required for microscopic studies. To demonstrate this, three experiments are carried out using the microrobotic platform. In the first experiment, individual paper fibres are mounted successfully on scanning electron microscopy specimen holders for the in situ scanning electron microscopy diagonal compression test of paper fibres. The performance of the microrobotic platform is compared with a skilled laboratory worker performing the same experiment. In the second experiment, a strand of human hair and an individual paper fibre bond are mounted on a specimen holder for nanotomography studies. In the third experiment, individual paper fibre bonds with controlled crossing and vertical angles are made using the microrobotic platform. If an industrial application requires less flexibility but a higher speed when handling one type of sample to a specific holder, then the platform can be automated in the future.
Insights
A new microrobotic platform precisely handles microscale fibrous specimens for microscopy, reducing human error and improving efficiency. This automated system minimizes artefacts and requires minimal operator training for tasks like scanning electron microscopy and nanotomography.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Robotics and Automation
- Microscopy and Imaging Techniques
Background:
- Manual handling of microscale specimens for microscopy is prone to human error, leading to artefacts and structural changes.
- Existing methods are laborious, time-consuming, and require highly skilled personnel.
- Minimizing human interaction is crucial for preserving sample integrity in microscopic studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a flexible microrobotic platform for precise handling of microscale fibrous materials.
- To reduce artefacts and structural changes during specimen preparation for microscopy.
- To enhance throughput and success rates compared to manual specimen handling.
Main Methods:
- Development of a tele-operated microrobotic platform capable of manipulating fibres (10-1000 μm diameter, 100 μm-15 mm length).
- Adaptable design for various specimen types and mounting on different holders.
- Demonstration through three experiments: paper fibre mounting for scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hair and paper fibre mounting for nanotomography, and controlled fibre bonding.
Main Results:
- Successful mounting of individual paper fibres for in situ SEM diagonal compression tests.
- Demonstrated capability for mounting human hair and paper fibre bonds for nanotomography.
- Achieved controlled creation of paper fibre bonds with specific angles.
- Platform performance compared favorably to skilled manual handling in SEM tests.
Conclusions:
- The microrobotic platform effectively minimizes artefacts and human error in microscale specimen handling.
- It offers increased throughput, improved success rates, and reduced training requirements compared to manual methods.
- The platform's flexibility allows adaptation to diverse microscopic study needs, with potential for future automation.
