Electrorheological fluid-actuated flexible platform

The design, fabrication, and performance of an electrorheological (ER) fluid-actuated flexible platform integrated on a microfluidic chip are reported in this letter. The digitally regulated ER microvalves control the four diaphragms on which a platform is sustained. With electrical input signals, the platform can perform vibrations at tunable frequencies as well as generate complex leveling modes. The flexible platform can potentially act as a microdamper when its inputs are generated from a sensor, in combination with a feedback control system. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics