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Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes
Published on: February 28, 2020
An Insect-Scale Untethered Piezoelectric Robot with Multiple Biomimetic Features
Jing Li1, Zhengxu Yan1, Baoyi Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150000, China.
Cyborg and Bionic Systems (Washington, D.C.)
|July 28, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel insect-scale robot inspired by mythological creatures, achieving high speed and load capacity. This biomimetic design enhances miniature robot performance for practical applications.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Biomimetics
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Miniature robots face challenges in balancing load capacity and speed.
- Existing designs often excel in one aspect but struggle to achieve both simultaneously.
- Biomimetic inspiration offers a pathway to overcome these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an insect-scale tripedal piezoelectric robot with enhanced speed and load capacity.
- To integrate multiple biomimetic features for superior performance.
- To explore novel design strategies for miniature robots.
Main Methods:
- Designed a single driving leg with orthogonal bending vibrations, emulating fish tail flapping.
- Implemented a support scheme combining passive wheels and a driving leg, inspired by otariid locomotion.
- Fabricated tethered and untethered versions of the robot for performance evaluation.
Main Results:
- Achieved a maximum forward speed of 313.49 mm/s (8.25 body lengths/s) and angular speed of 11.54 rad/s.
- Demonstrated high load capacity, reaching over 300 mm/s under 200 g (23.26 times self-weight).
- Untethered robot operated for 70 min with a low cost of transport (1.91).
Conclusions:
- The integrated biomimetic design successfully enhances miniature robot speed and load capacity.
- This approach offers a new perspective for designing high-performance miniature robots.
- The developed robot shows potential for operation in confined spaces due to its size and capabilities.
