Simplified Fabrication and Open-Loop Control of an Electromagnetic Insect-Scale Terrestrial Robot

Abstract

Small-scale terrestrial robots have a number of applications where operation in confined spaces is required. Because of their low mass (less than five grams) and small size (less than five centimeters), their mechanical design requires careful analysis of multiple subsystems (e.g., actuation, power, fabrication, and assembly). Planar electromagnetic actuators show linear force-displacement behavior, large displacements, and low-voltage operation. Here, we integrate these actuators into the Cornell Micro Terrestrial Robot (COMT), a 1.9 − g quadrupedal robot that uses a simplified fabrication strategy for the transmissions that takes advantage of the large displacement. Each leg is fabricated using laminate-based techniques, but requires only a single manual fold-and-lock step. The robot (BL = 3 cm) achieves speeds up to 4.36 BL/s and consumes approximately 300 mA during operation. These results provide a path towards a untethered terrestrial robots that can navigate in confined spaces and enable future collectives through simplified manufacturing strategies.