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Undergraduate Research Project: Development of a Micro/Nano Assembly Workcell Via Micro Visual Sensing

Abstract

The first year of the NSF REU program titled “Micro/nano Assembly Workcell via Micro Visual Sensing” provided a positive learning and research opportunity for 10 junior-level students in the fields of mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, and materials engineering with an emphasis in micro-manufacturing systems. The objective of this program is to provide selected student participants with unique research experiences in a stimulating and collaborating environment so that students will develop a passion for engineering research, which can hopefully trigger further learning and discovery of the micro-manufacturing discipline. Primary research activities have taken place in the areas of micro/nano electro-mechanical system material and structure, micro sensor/actuator system and design, feedback control system for precision assembly, and micro- robotic arm kinematics/dynamics and motion control. The intellectual merit comes from student participation in an excellent, multi-disciplinary research program at the forefront of micro- manufacturing research to fabricate components at the micro level (i.e. less than 500 οm) for various applications. The student participants in this program not only contributed to the development of micro-manufacturing technology, but their reactions indicate that they are more likely to remain in a technical field. Successful development of the micro-manufacturing system from the project opens endless application opportunities in homeland security, transportation, aerospace, biomedical, advanced manufacturing, and many other commercial applications.

I. Introduction

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergrads (REU) programs have been conducted for many years in different fields of science and engineering. The educational findings of some of the REU site programs have been reported in educational conferences and journals. Davenport and Porter1, in their literature, addressed the complete process of their recruitment, implementation, assessment, and follow-up surveys of their REU mathematics program for targeted groups (women and minorities). They reported impressive results about participant’s attendance to graduate programs (up to 70%). Similarly, researchers at Clarkson REU Site Program in Environmental Science and Engineering reported 60% attendance rate to graduate programs for their REU participants2. Another study about the national weather center REU site3 indicated that participants were significantly more committed about attending the graduate program at the end of the REU program compared to the beginning of the program. However they reported statistically no significant change in students’ career plan and interest in becoming research scientist. The objective of the NSF REU Site “Micro/nano Assembly Workcell via Micro Visual Sensing” is to provide hands-on training in micro-manufacturing research to a total of 20 student

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Um, D., & Asiabanpour, B., & Jimenez, J. (2009, June), The Development Of A Micro/Nano Assembly Work Cell Via Microvisual Sensing Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--4499