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The "Laboratoire d'Automatique de Besançon", LAB, is a laboratory supported by the CNRS (french National Center of Scientific Research), the University of Franche-Comté and the engineers
school ENSMM. The LAB started researches in the microrobotics field in 1995. Since this year, the LAB has from the CNRS the mission to develop a national program and a laboratories network in Microrobotics in
France. We then created in 1995 the "Pôle National Microrobotique" which involves around 15 french laboratories in several projects and we have the responsibility to manage this program.
The LAB research group in Microrobotics is composed of 15 persons and have projects in microactuators (especially piezoelectric and shape memory alloys), micromanipulation (in dry or liquid
environments) and mobile microrobots. The two first axes could then give a useful contribution in the proposed project ROBOSEM. Since two years we work intensively in piezoelectric microactuators for design of
monolithic piezoelectric actuators with integrated microsensors and control of motions of piezoelectric actuators. This experience and some relevant results led us to design more complex structures in the area of
tools for micromanipulation and piezoelectric based microgrippers in particular. Since one year, we also have significant results in teleoperated micro/nanomanipulation with force feedback using an AFM microscope.
Recently, we took part in an european program (European project "Large Scale Facilities" - "Microfabrication for Users", "Study and Realisation of Microlegs for an Autonomous Mobile
Microrobot", Contrat n°ERB - FMGE - CT98 - 0138, April 1998 - July 2000) and at this time, within a cross-border Franco-Swiss contract with ISR-EPFL (INTERREG II, "Characterization and optimization of
monolithic piezoelectric structures for applications in nanotechnology", December 1999 - December 2001). The LAB has then efficient experiences in microactuation and micromanipulation as so as in national and
international cooperations.
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