Motorized leveling stages

A motorized leveling stage capable of adjusting the angular position of a work piece relative to a reference plane includes an upper stage, a lower stage, and a hinge coupling corresponding edges of the two stages together for relative pivotal movement of the stages. A first spring pivotally biases the upper and lower stages toward each other about the axis of the hinge. A slide is disposed for sliding movement on an upper surface of the lower stage in a direction generally perpendicular to the hinge axis. The slide includes an upper surface defining an inclined plane disposed in sliding abutment with a lower surface of the upper stage such that movement of the slide toward and away from the hinge respectively raises and lowers the upper stage relative to the lower stage. A motorized drive assembly is operable to control movement of the slide relative to the hinge.