Biologically-inspired locomotion of a 2g hexapod robot

Abstract

Here we present the design, modeling, and fabrication of a 2g mobile robot. By applying principles from biology and existing meso-scale fabrication techniques, a 5.7cm hexapod robot with sprawled posture has been created, and is capable of locomotion up to 4 body-lengths per second using the alternating tripod gait at 20Hz actuation frequency. Furthermore, this work proves the viability of a new mechanical linkage design, fabricated using the smart composite microstructure process, to provide desirable leg trajectories for successful ambulation at the insect-scale.