Micro‐actuators: not so small any more

Increasing demand is being voiced for actuators whose range of movement lies somewhere between the many centimetres of conventional pneumatic and hydraulic systems and the nano‐metre ranges of micromovers. Two recent international conferences held this June, in Germany, have demonstrated a convergence of interests in this direction; the research and development‐orientated “Actuator”, held traditionally every two years in Bremen, and Berlin’s annual industrially‐based “Coil Winding International”. The first deals mainly with new innovations, the latter tends to be more concerned with present‐day applications.