Milli-Scale Biped Vibratory Water Strider

Abstract

This paper examines a centimeter-scale robot that relies on surface tension to move over a fluid, inspired by water strider insects. The millirobot in this work is 3D printed and actuated in vibrational resonance by an added piezoelectric strip. A simple empirical parametric analysis is performed, complemented by finite element modeling of robot structural vibration modes, to identify robot geometries producing motion over the water surface. Expanded results for the highest velocity robot iteration are presented, with some preliminary evaluation of general robot capabilities. This study is intended to help begin understanding how and why the robot moves in certain ways and give suggestions to future robot designs.