Abstract
Microrobots have powerful applications in biomedical and naval fields. They should have a compact structure, be easy to manufacture, have efficient locomotion, be driven by low voltage and have a simple control system. To meet these purposes, inspired by the leg of stick insects, we designed a novel type of microrobot with biomimetic locomotion with 1-DOF (degree of freedom) legs. The locomotion includes two ionic conducting polymer film (ICPF) actuators to realize the 2-DOF motion. We developed several microrobots with this locomotion. Firstly, we review a microrobot, named Walker-1, with 1-DOF motion. And then a new microrobot, named Walker-2, utilizing six ICPF actuators, with 3-DOF motion is introduced. It is 47 mm in diameter and 8 mm in height (in static state). It has 0.61 g of dried weight. We compared the two microrobot prototypes, and the result shows that Walker-2 has some advantages, such as more flexible moving motion, good balance, less water resistance, more load-carrying ability and so on. We also compared it with some insect-inspired microrobots and some microrobots with 1-DOF legs, and the result shows that a microrobot with this novel type of locomotion has some advantages. Its structure has fewer actuators and joints, a simpler control system and is compact. The ICPF actuator decides that it can be driven by low voltage (less than 5 V) and move in water. A microrobot with this locomotion has powerful applications in biomedical and naval fields.
Highlights
The demand for microrobots has increased in various fields of research
The traditional motor has limitations in this field, because its electromagnetic structure is difficult to shrink to a compact volume. Smart materials, such as ionic conducting polymer film (ICPF), piezoelectric elements, braided pneumatic actuators, and shape memory alloys, which can be used as artificial muscles, paved the way for a large vari
To develop a microrobot having fewer number of actuators, a compact structure, a simple control method, the ability to move in water and run on low voltage, we designed a novel type of locomotion using ICPF actuators
Summary
The demand for microrobots has increased in various fields of research. The research on underwater microrobots is one such field, for example, for cleaning the micropipeline in a radiating pattern, collecting samples from the seabed for archaeology or mining, scanning blood vessels for medical holography and so on. The traditional motor has limitations in this field, because its electromagnetic structure is difficult to shrink to a compact volume. Smart materials, such as ionic conducting polymer film (ICPF), piezoelectric elements, braided pneumatic actuators, and shape memory alloys, which can be used as artificial muscles, paved the way for a large vari-. An ICPF actuator consists of a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane with chemically plated gold as electrodes on both sides It bends when a low voltage is applied between the electrodes (Hirose et al 1992; Osada et al 1992; Segalman et al 1992; Oguro et al 1993).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
