In the design of miniaturized robots, different types of microelectromechanical actuators must be evaluated to determine the most appropriate one for each specific function as well as the best actuation effect for the size, force, supply voltage, energy, precision and degrees of freedom required.The piezoelectric effect is one of the most promising effects to incorporate microactuators in miniaturized robots. This paper presents a brief comparison on actuation methods for translational displacement and discusses its feasibility for application in miniaturized robots. The specific case of evaluation of a translational piezoelectric actuator using COMSOL Multiphysics is described, as well as an application example for a microgripper to be incorporated in a miniaturized robot for grasping submicrometric objects.
