Wireless link system for communication and energy transmission of microrobot

Abstract

We have succeeded to develop a complete wireless link micromachine. It transmits image data and supplies energy without wire. It is done via microwave and light. The robot consists of a CCD camera, a locomotive device, a system control circuit and wireless energy supply and communication devices. The robot moves in a 10 mm diameter pipe without wire and observes the inner surface of the pipe using the installed CCD camera. We developed a compact control circuit which controls all the devices installed in the robot by commands from outside and transmits the image data from the CCD camera. An image data communication LSI based on a new architecture was developed. The LSI is based on the 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS technology, and has the size of 3.9 mm by 3.9 mm. To make the control circuit compact, we used a flip chip assembly for the LSI and eight more ICs in the robot. Through a fabricated prototype of the microrobot, we have successfully confirmed the wireless image data communication of 2.27 frames per second and control of the robot by microwave technology.