Foot-Terrain Interaction for a Prototype Silicon Micro-Robot

Abstract

Research on dynamics of micro devices indicates that contact forces are complex in a micro-scale environment. Previous work tried to identify how small-scale forces numerically affect a walking micro system, using a similar structure to a micro-robot leg and a simple analytical model for system dynamics. This paper extends that work by focusing on further experimental testing and simulation studies on a prototype micro-robot. Evaluation of experimental data indicates that characteristics of the ground, such as material properties and static charge on the surface should be also considered in understanding foot-terrain interaction. This leads to modifications to the former foot-terrain interaction algorithm. The refined analytical model is validated through experimental comparison.