POLYMER THREADS

CONVENTIONAL REMOTE MANIPULATOR END-EFFECTOR TECHNIQUES ARE NOT SATIFYING THE CURRENT NEED FOR SMALLER, SIMPLER, MORE EFFICIENT MICRMANIPULATOR SYSTEMS. THERE IS CLEARLY A NEED FOR AN ENTIRELY DIIFERENT APPROACH TO GENERATING AND CONTROLLING MECHANICAL MOTION AT MILLIMETER AND SUB-MILLIMETER LEVELS. ONE SUCH APPROACH, SUGGESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL, TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE PIEZOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF CERTAIN POLYMERS. FASHIONED INTO FINE THREADS AND MECHANICALLY BONDED ALONG THEIR LENGHTS, TWO SUCH POLYMERS OF DIFFERENT PIEZOELECTRIC COEEFICIENTS CAN BE ELECTRICALLY COORDINATED TO YIELD USEFUL GRASPING EFFECTS.