Microprobe microsystem platform inserted during early metamorphosis to actuate insect flight muscle

Abstract

Following from early work demonstrating that early pupal- stage inserts are accepted by insects [9], a microprobe based microsystem platform was designed with respect to the position of the muscle bundles, and was inserted into the thorax at 4 days of the pupal stage. The platform is roughly 8times7times1.5 mm3 in size with probe thickness of 200 mum and weighs 500 mg, which the moth is able to successfully carry in the adult stage. In addition to the microsystem, an anchor to easily manipulate the adults was successfully formed in the insect by placing a glass-capillary through the pupae. The pupae emerged successfully, and the microsystem was used to characterize the potential for flight control. As part of the work to determine the microplatform design, we determined the strength-interval profiles of the pulses needed for direct muscle actuation. Two sets of flight muscles, which are symmetrically present on either side of the thorax, were differentially electrically actuated, which potentially influences the individual wing beat frequency and amplitude resulting in controlled turning behavior during flight.