A small wall-walking robot with compliant, adhesive feet

The ability to walk on surfaces regardless of the presence or direction of gravity can significantly increase the mobility of a robot for both terrestrial and space applications. Insects and geckos can provide inspiration for both novel adhesive technology and for the locomotory mechanisms employed during climbing. For this work, Mini-Whegs/spl trade/, a small quadruped robot that uses wheel-legs for locomotion, was altered to explore the feasibility of scaling vertical surfaces using compliant, adhesive feet. Modifications were made to reduce its weight, and its legs were redesigned to enable its feet to better attach and detach from the substrate, mimicking homologous actions observed in animals. The resulting vehicle is self-contained, power-autonomous, and weighs only 87 grams. Using pressure-sensitive tape, it is capable of walking up a vertical surface, walking upside-down along an inverted surface, and transitioning between orthogonal surfaces.