The 13th International Micro-Mechanisms Contest
(The 30th Micro-Mechanism Event
'Small3 (Very small) Robot Contest')

By the Chairperson Yuich Nakazato



Keep in mind this time, competition is conducted in one day.
--Time and Date: 13:00-17:00, March, 18 (Wed.) , 2020
(Preliminary Check 9:30-12:00, All participants have to gather.) [No charge]
Venue: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo Koganei Campus (Building 11, 5F)
Address: 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, JAPAN


Host and Organizer: The Japan Society for Precision Engineering (the JSPE)
Micro/Nano-System Research Committee
(the former Micro Mechanism Research Committee)
Sponsor: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

We are pleased to announce the 30th annual Micro-Mechanism Event, which was inaugurated in March of 1990. The event had been organized by the JSPE Micro Mechanism Research Committee (Chairperson: Teru HAYASHI) until September of 2002. In October of 2003, the committee was reformed as the JSPE Micro/Nano-System Research Committee (Chairperson: Mikio Horie). The new committee has taken over the event which formerly involved conventional 'micro-mechanisms' because the contents of the event are recognized as being concrete examples of Micro/Nano Systems. Some of you may not be aware that since the 14th Micro-Mechanism Event foreign competitors from countries, such as Taiwan, Thailand, and so on, have been permitted to and have actively participated in the competition. Therefore, we have decided to rename the event 'the International Micro-Mechanisms Contest'. The contest committee members are as follows. The chairperson: Mikio HORIE, Co-Chairpersons: Prof. Hisayuki AOYAMA ( The University of Electro-Communications), Prof. Ching-Shun CHEN ( Da-Yeh University), Prof. Yasuo HAYASHIBARA(Chiba Institute of Technology), Prof. Ken'ichi HIRATSUKA (Chiba Institute of Technology), Dr. Dai HOMMA(TOKI Corporation), Mr. Katsumi HOSOYA(OMRON Corporation), Dr. Don Isarakorn(King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang ), Prof. Takahiro ITO (Kyushu Institute of Technology), Prof. Hsin-Te LIAO (Minghsin University of Science and Technology), Prof. Daido MISAKI(Kogakuin University), Prof. Yuuichi NAKAZATO (Nippon Institute of Technology), Prof. Fumikazu OOHIRA (Kagawa University), Prof. Tien-Szu PAN (Da-Yeh University), Prof. Shinya SASAYAMA (Tokyo University of Science), Prof. Hidetsugu TERADA( University of Yamanashi), Prof. Li-Ming WANG(Da-Yeh University), Adviser: Prof. Teru HAYASHI(Professors emeritus of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ogasawara Precision Laboratory Ltd.)@ There are 3 competitions in the contest:
(1) Barrier-Climbing and Dice-Operating Micro Mechanism,
(2) Sumo (Wrestling) Micro Mechanism,
(3) Boastful Micro Mechanism,
As many of the machines participating in Competitions (1),(2) have wheels, we would like applicants for competition (3) to make machines with other mechanisms, such as
(a) flying mechanisms,
(b) walking mechanism,
(c) A size is a mechanism of 10mm * 10mm * 10mm or less,
and it is a mechanism which can further participate in either of two above-mentioned item (1),(2), and
(d) Autonomous micro sweeping robot on the table.
Above 4 types are strongly recommended to develop.
For the development of such mechanisms, it will be necessary to develop a compact actuator, which can load itself and actuate, energy sources, a means for energy transmission, error insensitive mechanisms, a new effective mechanism unique to micro-mechanics, and a location/configuration sensor. We expect competitors to create excellent elemental technologies, comprehensive manufacturing technology to fuse each elemental technology, and control/manipulation technology in order to realize such excellent Micro/Nano Systems. We hope the micro-mechanisms in this contest will contribute to the development of new machines with practical applicable use for business and society. The 13th International Micro-Mechanisms Contest will be held at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in March of 2020. The competitions are as follows:

Outline of the Contest

(A) Barrier-Climbing and Dice-Operating Micro Mechanism:
This competition aims at developing mechanisms, which can run effectively run on a plane board equipped with two kinds of obstacles, such as walls, sand, as well as the elemental and comprehensive technology.
And also, this competition aims at developing mechanisms which can both move and perform specific operations. Machines carry dice (8mm squared, weighing 0.7gf) to their own goals. It is exciting like playing a game.
(B) Sumo (Wrestling) Micro Mechanism Competition:
This competition aims at developing mechanisms having superior actuator technology, which are tested by physically coming into contact with each other in a competition of power and techniques.
(C) Boastful Micro Mechanism Competition:
This competition encourages and challenges engineers to discover new principles and mechanisms from novel ideas in creating machines which have functions such as flying and walking. Moreover, creation of the function which suggests the possibility of a miniaturization from that of a game conventionally from the current fiscal year is urged. As one can see from the details mentioned above, each competition has a specific aim competitors are expected to pursue. Additionally, wireless or remote mechanisms are preferable in competitions (A),(B).

We hope that you fully understand guidelines of the Micro-Mechanisms Contest, and choose to take part. We look forward to your participation.


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