The experience from other micro robotic projects shows that we are clearly at the limit of micro-robot development with a modular approach. If we want to develop smaller robots, the design has to change drastically and an integrated approach should be chosen. The selected concepts must allow further miniaturisation in the future in order to reach the actual micro-scale. The micro-agents’ size and force must be in proportion to the size and fragility of the manipulated objects, such as living cells. As a large number of micro-agents will have to be realised, batch processes using Micro System Technology ( Micro System technology (MST) of course compulsory).

The piezo-based actuators allow agents without energy buffers for locomotion, thus, a further decrease in the size down to 3x3x2 mm. The robot speed at the moment is about 1.5 mm/s. During the development, various solutions have been evaluated and some different locomotion principles were studied. Fortunately, several micro-system technologies for polymeric materials developed by our partners from DMS and EPFL are available. Several of the injection moulding techniques would give large volumes at low prices. The most straightforward way of building small micro-systems is to use flexible printed circuit boards (FPC). These boards are extensively used in miniature systems as consumer electronics and high-tech components. The FPC gives the robot flexibility, electrical connects, three-dimensionality and high-quality material properties. The more expensive FPC use a polyimide base material providing high performance and some extraordinary properties. The processing technology will allow for well-defined structures (the shells etc. in the insect robot) and well-controlled grooves for the bending hinges. The stiffness can easily be controlled by structural definition (ridges etc.) or by metal reinforcement since the main application of the FPC is as printed circuit board with metal conductors at top of the carrier.

The functions of the agents is reduced to locomotion, integrated tool (one per agent) for permitting basic manipulation and to attach and release other agents, a limited capability to store state information of the agent as well as the possibility to transfer basic information from agent to agent via light.