Small Multi-Attitude Soft Amphibious Robot

Abstract

Small soft amphibious robots have the potential to be used in the exploration of underwater pipelines, surface defect detection of underwater equipment, and underwater biological observations. In this study, we developed a small electromagnetically driven soft amphibious robot with inchworm gait motion based on a monodomain liquid crystal elastomer <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$/$</tex-math></inline-formula> polyimide film strain-mismatched flexible actuation structure. In the functional design, it is very important to balance the mass and magnetic force of the controllable adsorption <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$/$</tex-math></inline-formula> desorption electromagnetic adsorption claw and to adjust the stiffness of the joint between the actuation structure and the electromagnetic claw. The robot (5 g in weight, 70 mm in length and 12 mm in width) can realize the multi-stance movement and even crawl upside down at driving voltages <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$&lt;$</tex-math></inline-formula> 30 V, thus demonstrating its ability to cross complex terrain. This study provides guidance for the design of small flexible multi-attitude amphibious robots.