We present a prototype high-precision microrobotic system that
addresses the need for automated streak seeding of protein
crystals. The system hardware consists of a personal computer
controlling a 3-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator and a microscope
with camera providing visual feedback. The images from the camera are
processed using efficient machine vision techniques to pinpoint the
locations of the source crystals. Using advanced micro-electrical
mechanical system methods (MEMS), we have designed and manufactured a
set of silicon tools to perform the seeding. We present experimental
results showing that streak seeding with silicon produces comparable,
if not better, results compared to the commonly used cat's whisker.