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The "Institut de systèmes robotiques" (ISR) has a long experience and recognized expertise in the field of high precision robotics and micromanipulation systems. ISR has been involved in
several projects of the Swiss Priority Program MINAST and was the coordinator of one of its modules (Module 6, MICROB: Microrobots and micromachines). ISR is in charge of four projects in the new Swiss national
program TopNano21 and has applied for one more project in 2001.
For many years ISR has been working in the field of piezo-based inertial drives as well as in monolithic piezoelectric structures, which represent a new approach to amplify piezo motion. During the
last two years our research group focused especially on micromanipulation for cell biology, and new positioning systems dedicated to the sample handling under a microscope have been developed. ISR employs more than
50 researchers, more than 20 of them are directly involved in projects concerning very high precision mechanisms.
The project’s team at ISR will benefit from the very well equipped labs of the DMT as well as clean rooms (centre EPFL de microtechnologie). Existing laboratory equipment includes for example work
stations and laser interferometer and other sensor systems, high precision (0.5µm) X-Y stages and electronic equipment (e.g. oscilloscopes, waveform generators, power supplies,...).
Furthermore, the institute has an electronic laboratory and a machine shop for development and prototyping with highly qualified and experienced staff. The ISR can also benefit from special
manufacturing facilities such as laser cutting machines or micro-EDM.
The institute has access to annual credits, which allow the group to improve its infrastructure, and to ordinary credit for some overhead expenses not included in this proposal. The whole
above-mentioned infrastructure of the ISR will be available for this project.
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