Inchworm-inspired soft climbing robot using microspine arrays

Abstract

Animals in nature, such as geckos, inchworms, and felines can climb on various surfaces using different mechanisms and serve as references for the study of bio-inspired robots. This paper presents an inchworm-inspired climbing robot that consists of soft body and feet. The soft robot is actuated by shape memory alloy wires and utilizes microspine arrays to attach its feet to rough or soft surfaces. A series of experiments to test the functionality of the feet and torso of the designed robot have verified the theoretical feasibility of the robot. Results have shown that the designed bio-inspired robot can climb on inclined or vertical curved surfaces and flat surfaces. The robot can also adapt to the underwater environment. Thus, this robot has great potential for various applications such as pipeline inspection.