Programmable micro-robot and assembly of such micro-robots forming a modular three-dimensional structure

Abstract

The invention relates to a micro-robot intended to be part of a programmable assembly of micro-robots forming a three-dimensional structure having a modular geometry, wherein the micro-robot comprises a polyhedral housing (2), a flexible strip (3) comprising a set of reversible fastening devices (4) referred to as RFDs, each RFD comprising at least one pair of electrodes (12) and extending between a control unit (5) located in the polyhedral housing designed to power the RFDs and at least one portion of an outer surface (6) of the polyhedral housing over which the flexible strip extends. The micro-robot is designed such that at least one RFD delivers an electrostatic field by polarising the at least one pair of electrodes of the at least one RFD. The control unit is designed to activate and deactivate, on an individual basis for each of the RFDs, the polarisation of the at least one pair of electrodes of the at least one RFD so as to activate or deactivate the delivery of the electrostatic field by the at least one RFD.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: Programmable micro-robot and assembly of such micro-robots forming a modular three-dimensional structure

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The present invention belongs to the field of programmable matter.

[0005] Programmable matter refers to a reconfigurable modular physical object.

[0006] State of the prior art

[0007] Known in the state of the art is the document Kirby BT et al., (2011), "Blinky blocks: a physical ensemble programming platform", CHI'll, Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1111-1116. It describes a set of millimeter blocks that can be assembled manually in a reversible manner. Certain properties of the blocks, such as the emission of light or sound, are modified depending on the assembly carried out.

[0008] An aim of the invention is, in addition, to propose a programmable assembly of micro-robots:

[0009] - can be controlled remotely without external manipulation or handling, whether robotic or manual, and / or

[0010] - whose micro-robots can interact physically and autonomously with neighboring micro-robots, and / or

[0011] - fully automated and not requiring working in a controlled environment such as a clean room, and / or

[0012] - whose micro-robots are manufactured independently of each other while maintaining the same assembly process, and / or

[0013] - whose micro-robots can be customized and whose programming or configuration of the micro-robots can be updated while maintaining the same assembly process, and / or

[0014] - whose micro-robots do not include any welding.

[0015] Presentation of the invention

[0016] For this purpose, a micro-robot is proposed intended to be part of a programmable assembly of micro-robots forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry. The micro-robot comprises:

[0017] - a polyhedral case,

[0018] - a flexible headband:

[0019] • comprising a set of reversible fixing devices, called DFR, each comprising at least one pair of electrodes,

[0020] • extending between a control unit, contained in the polyhedral housing and arranged to power the DFRs, and at least a portion of an external surface of the polyhedral housing on which the flexible strip extends.

[0021] The micro-robot is arranged so that at least one DFR emits an electrostatic field by polarizing the at least one pair of electrodes of the at least one DFR.

[0022] The control unit is arranged to activate and deactivate, individually and for each of the DFRs, the polarization of the at least one pair of electrodes of the at least one DFR so as to activate or deactivate the emission of the electrostatic field by the at least one DFR.

[0023] It can be understood by geometry, a spatial conformation or arrangement.

[0024] Preferably, the DFRs are distributed along the flexible strip. Preferably, the DFRs are distributed over the entire portion of the outer surface of the polyhedral housing over which the flexible strip extends.

[0025] By control unit it can be understood a microcontroller.

[0026] Preferably, each of the micro-robots comprises an individual control unit.

[0027] Preferably, the control unit is autonomous. Autonomous may be understood to mean a control unit that does not include a battery.

[0028] In this application, it may be understood as adjacent, nearby, contiguous, joined or in contact.

[0029] Preferably, the flexible strip comprises a printed circuit.

[0030] Preferably, the printed circuit electrically connects the DFRs to the control unit.

[0031] Preferably, the flexible strip comprises alternating flat areas and curved areas.

[0032] Preferably, two successive flat areas are connected to each other by a curved area. Preferably, the DFRs extend over all of the flat areas. Preferably, the DFRs extend over all of the curved areas.

[0033] Preferably, the flexible strip comprises an inner layer at least a portion of which is in contact with, preferably is attached to, the at least a portion of the outer surface of the polyhedral housing.

[0034] Preferably, the flexible headband comprises an electrically insulating outer layer; the outer layer constitutes a portion of the outer surface of the micro-robot.

[0035] Preferably, the flexible headband comprises an intermediate layer, between the inner layer and the outer layer, comprising an electrically conductive material.

[0036] Preferably, the intermediate layer comprises:

[0037] - electrical tracks formed by the electrically conductive material, and

[0038] - the DFRs formed by the conductive material.

[0039] Preferably, the electrical traces extend along the intermediate layer.

[0040] Preferably, the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes are adjacent and of opposite polarity.

[0041] Preferably, a pair of electrodes comprises at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode.

[0042] Preferably, the control unit is arranged to generate a supply voltage difference of the DFRs, called high voltage, greater than or equal to 80 Volts, preferably 90 Volts, more preferably 100 Volts.

[0043] According to an improvement of the invention, the control unit can comprise:

[0044] - at least one slot generator arranged to supply a charge pump converter,

[0045] - a multiplexer, by negative polarity electrode, arranged to, from a negative output voltage of the charge pump converter, generate a negative high voltage and a multiplexer, by positive polarity electrode, arranged to, from a positive output voltage of the charge pump converter, generate a positive high voltage.

[0046] According to the invention, there is also proposed a programmable assembly of micro-robots according to the invention forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry.

[0047] For a micro-robot considered located near another micro-robot, the electrostatic field emitted by the at least one DFR, of the micro-robot considered, emitting an electrostatic field exerts a reciprocal attractive force on the at least one DFR, of the micro-robot neighboring the micro-robot considered, emitting an electrostatic field, and vice versa, so that the micro-robot considered moves along a part of the external surface formed by an external layer of the flexible strip and / or is immobilized against the other micro-robot and / or vice versa and / or vice versa.

[0048] Preferably, the programmable assembly consists of a set of micro-robots.

[0049] Preferably, for a DFR of a micro-robot considered, an electrode of negative polarity of a pair of electrodes is intended to cooperate with an electrode of positive polarity of a pair of electrodes of a DFR of another micro-robot, and vice versa or reciprocally.

[0050] Preferably, the reciprocal attractive force which is exerted between two adjacent microrobots is an electrostatic force exerted between, respectively, the at least one electrode of negative polarity and the at least one electrode of positive polarity of the at least one pair of electrodes of a DFR of the micro-robot considered on, respectively, the at least one electrode of positive polarity and the at least one electrode of negative polarity of a DFR of another micro-robot adjacent to the micro-robot considered.

[0051] Preferably, at least a portion, preferably all, of the outer layer of the flexible headband of one micro-robot is intended to come into contact with at least a portion of the outer layer of the flexible headband of another micro-robot.

[0052] Preferably, the DFRs extend over all the flat areas and curved areas so that a micro-robot in question moves along the outer layer of the flexible strip of a micro-robot adjacent to the micro-robot in question. Thus, any characteristic of the micro-robot according to the invention is directly transposable to the programmable assembly of micro-robots according to the invention and vice versa.

[0053] According to the invention, a method for manufacturing a micro-robot is also provided. Preferably, the micro-robot obtained by the manufacturing method is intended to be part of a programmable assembly of micro-robots forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry according to the invention. The method for manufacturing the micro-robot comprises the steps of:

[0054] - electrically connect a control unit to a flat flexible strip comprising a set of reversible fixing devices, known as DFR,

[0055] - wrapping the control unit and a portion of the flexible strip adjacent to the control unit with a layer of polymer to immobilize the control unit on the flexible strip, preferably to secure the control unit to the portion of the flexible strip adjacent to the control unit,

[0056] - sealing two hemispheres of a polyhedral housing inside which the control unit is housed; the flat flexible strip passes through, via an opening, the polyhedral housing so that a portion of the flat flexible strip extends outside the polyhedral housing,

[0057] - bending and immobilizing the portion of the planar flexible strip extending outside the polyhedral housing so that it conforms to the shape of the polyhedral housing and extends over a portion of an external surface of the polyhedral housing.

[0058] Preferably, the step of sealing two hemispheres of the polyhedral housing together and / or the step of immobilizing the portion of the flat flexible strip on a part of the external surface of the polyhedral housing is carried out by gluing. The gluing takes advantage of the particularly powerful capillarity phenomenon at the microscopic scale to guide the alignment of the components with each other.

[0059] Preferably, the micro-robot manufacturing method according to the invention is suitable, more preferably is particularly suitable, more preferably is designed and particularly advantageously is specially designed, for manufacturing a micro-robot intended to be part of a programmable assembly of micro-robots forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry.

[0060] Any characteristic of the micro-robot according to the invention can be directly transposed to the manufacturing process according to the invention and vice versa.

[0061] Description of figures

[0062] Other advantages and particularities of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description of implementations and embodiments which are in no way limiting, and the following appended drawings:

[0063] [Fig. 1a] FIGURE 1a is a schematic representation of a micro-robot according to the invention,

[0064] [Fig. lb] FIGURE lb is a schematic representation of a micro-robot according to the invention on which the housing is not shown,

[0065] [Fig. 2a] FIGURE 2a is a schematic representation of the flexible strip, comprising a single tab, of the micro-robot illustrated in FIGURE 1a,

[0066] [Fig. 2b] FIGURE 2b is a schematic representation of the flexible strip, comprising several tabs, of the micro-robot illustrated in FIGURE lb,

[0067] [Fig. 3a] FIGURE 3a is a photograph of the flexible strip, comprising a single tab, of the micro-robot illustrated in FIGURE 1a and of the tab shown schematically in FIGURE 2a,

[0068] [Fig. 3b] FIGURE 3b is a photograph of the housing of a micro-robot,

[0069] [Fig. 4a] FIGURE 4a is a representation of a reversible fixation device comprising a pair of electrodes,

[0070] [Fig. 4b] FIGURE 4b is a representation of a reversible fixation device comprising two pairs of electrodes,

[0071] [Fig. 4c] FIGURE 4c is a representation of a reversible fixation device comprising eight pairs of electrodes,

[0072] [Fig. 5] FIGURE 5 is a simplified schematic representation of the electronic circuit of the control unit of a micro-robot,

[0073] [Fig. 6] FIGURE 6 is an exploded schematic representation of the microrobot shown in FIGURE 1a.

[0074] Description of the embodiments

[0075] The embodiments described below being in no way limiting, it will be possible in particular to consider variants of the invention comprising only a selection of the described characteristics, isolated from the other described characteristics (even if this selection is isolated within a sentence comprising these other characteristics), if this selection of characteristics is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention compared to the state of the prior art. This selection comprises at least one characteristic, preferably functional without structural details, or with only a part of the structural details if this part only is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention compared to the state of the prior art.

[0076] With reference to FIGURES 1 to 6, an embodiment of a micro-robot 1 according to the invention is presented. The micro-robot 1 is intended to be part of a programmable assembly of micro-robots 1 forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry. Each micro-robot 1 of the assembly comprises a polyhedral housing 2 and a flexible strip 3. The flexible strip 3 comprises a set of reversible fixing devices 4, called DFR 4. The DFR 4 extend along the entire flexible strip 3. The strip 3 comprises a printed circuit extending along the flexible strip 3. The flexible strip 3 extends between a control unit 5 and along an external surface 6 of the polyhedral housing 2 over a portion of which it extends. The flexible strip 3 is electrically connected to the control unit 5. The control unit 5 is contained in the polyhedral housing 2.The control unit 5 is arranged to electrically power each of the DRFs 4 individually. According to the non-limiting embodiment, each micro-robot 1 comprises twelve DFRs 4.

[0077] The shape of the polyhedral housing 2, and therefore the shape of the micro-robots 1, must allow the aggregation or attachment of several robots to form a dense mesh by reducing the empty spaces in the programmable assembly. In addition, such a shape also allows the micro-robots 1 to move more easily around, or on the surface of, each other.

[0078] When a first micro-robot 1 is adjacent to a second micro-robot 1, a DFR 4 of the first micro-robot 1 is activated by the control unit 5 of the first micro-robot 1 and a DFR 4 of the second micro-robot 1 is also activated so that a mutual attractive force is exerted between the DFR 4 of the first and second micro-robots 1. If neither of the first and second micro-robots 1 is linked to a third, or more, micro-robots 1, the first micro-robot 1 can move, along the part of the outer surface of the second micro-robots 1 formed by the flexible strip 3 towards the DFR 4 of the second micro-robot 1 which is activated. Once facing each other, the activated DFR 4 of the first and second micro-robots 1 can be immobilized against each other.Once the DFR 4 of the first and second micro-robots 1 are immobilized against each other, the activation of a DFR 4 adjacent to the DFR 4 of the second micro-robot 1 already activated, preferably followed by the gradual deactivation of the DFR 4 of the second micro-robot 1 already activated, will cause a new movement of the first micro-robot 1 along the part of the external surface of the second micro-robots 1 formed by the flexible strip 3 in the direction of the DFR 4 of the second micro-robot 1 which has just been activated.

[0079] The activation of a DFR 4, or of several DFR 4, by the control unit 5 of a micro-robot 1 causes the emission of an electrostatic field by the DFR 4, or the DFR 4. As long as the electrostatic field is emitted, the DFR 4 in contact remain immobilized against each other. The deactivation of a DFR 4, or the stopping of the electrical supply of a DFR 4, causes the detachment of the DFR 4 in contact immobilized against each other.

[0080] Depending on the embodiment, the size of the DFR 4 is of the order of 800 pm 2 , it is preferably less than or equal to mm 2 . Such a DFR size has the effect of making the most of the electrostatic forces which are stronger at small scales. In addition, the size of the micro-robot 1, which goes hand in hand with its weight, is of the order of 3 mm depending on the embodiment, it is preferably less than 5 mm.

[0081] The flexible strip 3 forms an alternation of flat zones 13 and curved zones 11. Two successive flat zones 13 are connected to each other by a curved zone 11. The flexible strip 3 comprises an internal layer. This internal layer is in contact with a part of the external surface 6 of the polyhedral housing 2.

[0082] Each DFR 4 is formed by at least one pair of adjacent electrodes 12 of reverse polarity. The attractive force is an electrostatic force exerted by one or more electrodes 12 of negative polarity of a DFR 4 of a first micro-robot 1 on at least one electrode 12 of positive polarity of a DFR 4 of another micro-robot neighboring the first. The flexible strip 3 also comprises an intermediate layer between the inner layer and the outer layer. This intermediate layer comprises an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material of the intermediate layer forms electrical tracks supplying all of the DFRs 4 of a micro-robot 1. The electrically conductive material of the intermediate layer also forms the DFRs. 4.

[0083] The flexible strip 3 also comprises an electrically insulating outer layer. This outer layer has the effect of preventing a short circuit between two DFRs 4 of two micro-robots 1 joined together and fixed to each other. When two DFRs 4 of two micro-robots 1 are joined together and fixed to each other, the part of the outer layer of the flexible strip 3 of each of the two micro-robots 1 in question is intended to come into contact with at least a part of the outer layer of the flexible strip of another micro-robot,

[0084] According to a non-limiting embodiment, all of the micro-robots 1 intended to form the assembly or forming the assembly are stacked or rest on a hollow base which serves as a reserve of micro-robots 1. The base can be connected to a central unit comprising a processor. According to a non-limiting embodiment, a base of the base comprises a mesh of DFR 4. Each DFR 4 of the base constitutes a fixing zone for a DFR 4 of a micro-robot of the assembly. The base of the base can form a grid.

[0085] The base receives information about the shape of the assembly to be assembled. The information is transmitted step by step from a micro-robot 1 to an adjacent micro-robot 1 against which it is immobilized. The information passes between two DFRs 4 in contact immobilized against each other. The information thus circulates from the base to the entire programmable assembly.

[0086] The micro-robots 1 are thus linked by capacitive coupling from the base then from micro-robot 1 to micro-robot 1. According to the embodiment, a digital signal modulated by the base is transmitted column of micro-robot 1 by column of micro-robot 1. Each micro-robot 1 of the assembly thus receives the signal. For example, each micro-robot 1 demodulates the signal that it receives then remodulates it to transfer it to all its neighbors in the direction of the signal. Preferably, each robot has a finite state machine arranged to process these signals and activate or deactivate one or more of its DFR 4 according to the predefined assembly plan. To change the configuration of the assembly, the base sends a new signal, different from the previous one, on all or only on a part of the coordinates of the grid corresponding to the columns of micro-robots 1 whose state must be modified.

[0087] With reference to FIGURE 5, an embodiment of the electronic circuit of the control unit 5 of a micro-robot 1 is presented. The control unit 5 comprises, among other things, a set of square wave generators 7, denoted RO, arranged to power a charge pump converter. The control unit further comprises a multiplexer 9, per electrode 12 of negative polarity, arranged to, from a negative output voltage, denoted VN, of the charge pump converter, generate a negative high voltage, denoted Nn. The control unit 5 further comprises a multiplexer 10, per electrode 12 of positive polarity, arranged to, from a positive output voltage, denoted V m , from the charge pump converter, generate a high positive voltage, denoted Pn. The voltage difference delivered by the control unit is of the order of 100 Volts depending on the embodiment.

[0088] In FIGURE 5, the positive and negative charge pumps are seen, generating -40V and 70V respectively. To achieve low power, the clock signal generation uses a gate generator 7, modulated by the bias voltage VBP / VBN. According to the embodiment, the control unit comprises twelve negative high voltage multiplexers 9 and twelve positive high voltage multiplexers 10 that select the appropriate positive and negative voltages from the charge pump outputs for electrostatic actuation and overcome several electronic circuit challenges.

[0089] This implementation allows the charge pump converter to be charged only once when initializing the micro-robot 1, and the DRF 4 to be connected or disconnected by an independent circuit, guaranteeing agility and rapidity of switching, and reducing energy losses due to leaks when loading and discharging the charge pump converter.

[0090] For high positive voltage, the drive signals of the SI - Sm pass gates are level shifted. For a given PMOS pass gate corresponding to a positive output voltage, the SI - Sm bodies must be connected to VI - Vm, resulting in a large forward bias diode current DDB when the output voltage at Pn is higher than that of the internal nodes VI - Vm. The DI - Dm diodes act to block this current. The DI - Dm diodes are arranged in series to equalize their reverse bias state, lowering the diode voltage potential and reducing their leakage to sub-picoampere levels.

[0091] When a voltage switch, denoted Si where i varies from 1 to m, increases the output voltage of Pn, drawing a large inrush charge from the charge pump, Vi and other electrode voltages 12 collapse. Therefore, the charge transfer rate from VI - Vm to Pn must be carefully limited to ensure stable voltages at all electrodes 12 contained in the DRFs 4. A switch SP and capacitor CP are used to solve this problem by creating an equivalent resistance modulated by the frequency of the switch SP. SP is switched without overlap with Si to avoid a direct path from Vi to Pn until Pn has stabilized. The control signal for SP is also level shifted. Since the voltage VSMP on CP changes rapidly during a charge transfer cycle, it cannot be tracked by a level shifter.SP is implemented with an NMOS transistor and its control signal is level-shifted relative to VPn, which is slow and can be tracked. For similar reasons, SI - Sm are implemented with PMOS transistors and their control signals are shifted by Vi.

[0092] With the addition of the DI - Dm diodes, the charge pump can only pull the output voltage Pn up. Without DC charging current, the voltage on Pn will decrease extremely slowly due to leakage. Therefore, an intentional discharge path is also implemented with a switching resistor SD1, SD2, and CD. By using the regular supply voltage to control the switches SD1 and SD2, the charge transfer to CD (VDD-Vth) per cycle is limited, and Pn discharges gradually. When they are not discharging, SD1 and SD2 are turned off, which greatly reduces leakage.

[0093] Using the same approach for the negative charge pump, the switches Sp, SD1 and SD2 would have to be PMOS, which is not possible because their well n, connected to the negative voltage Nn, would short-circuit Psub via the diode. A simpler multiplexer that selects between Vn and GND was therefore implemented. In this multiplexer, the level shifter for Sn is referenced to Vn since it is a stable voltage. The charge transfer between Vn and Nn is limited by the polyresistor Rn. When Sn is off, the source voltage of Sn is Vs, Sn is equal to Vn while Vd, Sn is equal to Nn which is equal to zero Volts. When Sn is activated, the level shifter applies a gate voltage Vg, Sn is equal to the voltage difference Vn minus VDD and the source voltage of Sn will quickly rise to the voltage Vn minus VDD minus Vth, turning off the switch and self-limiting the charge transfer.Vs, Sn will then slowly drop as charge flows through Rn, reactivating Sn and transferring charge from Nn to Vn in a controlled manner. Negative multiplexer 9 provides differential voltage selection of the order of 40 V while positive multiplexer 10 provides control with a step of the order of 3 V. To allow an application-dependent value of VN, it is determined by a hard-wired connection between the negative pump output (Vi to V-13) and Vn.

[0094] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0095] In addition, the various features, forms, variations and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Micro-robot (1) intended to be part of a programmable assembly of microrobots forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry, said micro-robot comprises: - a polyhedral case (2), - a flexible headband (3): • comprising a set of reversible fixation devices (4), referred to as RFDs, each comprising at least one pair of electrodes (12), • extending between a control unit (5), contained in the polyhedral housing and arranged to power the DFRs, and at least a part of an external surface (6) of the polyhedral housing over which the flexible band extends; the micro-robot is arranged so that at least one DFR emits an electrostatic field by polarizing at least one pair of electrodes of at least one DFR; the control unit is arranged to activate and deactivate, individually and for each of the DFRs, the polarization of at least one pair of electrodes of at least one DFR so as to activate or deactivate the emission of the electrostatic field by at least one DFR.

2. Micro-robot (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flexible band (3) comprises a printed circuit electrically connecting the DFRs (4) to the control unit (5).

3. Micro-robot (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible band (3) comprises an alternation of flat areas (13) and curved areas (11); two successive flat areas are connected to each other by a curved area.

4. Micro-robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible headband (3) comprises: - an inner layer of which at least a part is in contact with at least a part of the external surface (6) of the polyhedral casing (2), - an electrically insulating outer layer; the outer layer forms part of the micro-robot's external surface, - an intermediate layer, between the inner layer and the outer layer, comprising an electrically conductive material.

5. Micro-robot (1) according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate layer comprises: - electrical tracks formed by the electrically conductive material, and - the DFRs (4) formed by the conductive material.

6. Micro-robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrodes (12) of at least one pair of electrodes are adjacent and of opposite polarity.

7. Micro-robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (5) is arranged to generate a supply voltage difference of the DFR (4), referred to as high voltage, greater than or equal to 80 Volts.

8. Micro-robot (1) according to claim 7 taken in combination with claim 6, wherein the control unit (5) comprises: - at least one square wave generator (7) arranged to power a charge pump converter, - a multiplexer (9), per electrode (12) of negative polarity, arranged to, from a negative output voltage of the charge pump converter, generate a negative high voltage and a multiplexer (10), per electrode (12) of positive polarity, arranged to, from a positive output voltage of the charge pump converter, generate a positive high voltage.

9. Programmable assembly of micro-robots (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry, said micro-robots each comprising: - a polyhedral case (2), - a flexible headband (3): • comprising a set of reversible fixation devices (4), referred to as RFDs, each comprising at least one electrode, • extending between a control unit (5), contained in the polyhedral housing and arranged to power the DFRs, and at least part of an external surface (6) of the polyhedral housing over which the flexible band extends; for each of the micro-robots, at least one DFR is arranged to emit an electromagnetic field by polarizing at least one electrode of at least one DFR and, for a micro-robot considered located near another micro-robot, the electrostatic field emitted by the at least one DFR of the micro-robot considered, emitting an electrostatic field, exerts a reciprocal attractive force on the at least one DFR of the micro-robot adjacent to the micro-robot considered, emitting an electrostatic field, and vice versa, so that the micro-robot considered is moved towards and / or immobilized against the other micro-robot and / or vice versa and / or vice versa; the control unit is arranged to activate and deactivate, individually and for Each of the DFRs, the polarization of at least one pair of electrodes of at least one DFR, so as to activate or deactivate the emission of the electrostatic field by at least one DFR.

10. A method for manufacturing a micro-robot (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said micro-robot being intended to form part of a programmable assembly of micro-robots forming a three-dimensional structure with modular geometry according to claim 9, said method comprising the steps of: - electrically connect a control unit (5) to a flat flexible headband (3) comprising a set of reversible fixation devices (4), known as DFRs, each comprising at least one pair of electrodes (12), - wrap the control unit and a portion of the flexible band adjacent to the control unit with a polymer layer to immobilize the control unit on the flexible band, - sealing two hemispheres of a polyhedral housing (2) inside which the control unit is housed; the flat flexible strip passes, via an opening, through the polyhedral housing so that a portion of the flat flexible strip extends outside the polyhedral housing, - fold and immobilize the portion of the flat flexible band extending outside the polyhedral housing so that it conforms to the shape of the polyhedral housing and extends over part of an external surface (6) of the polyhedral housing.

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