Modeling and Testing of a Fast-Crawling Millimeter-Sized Robot

It is a significant challenge for microrobots to achieve fast crawling speed at the millimeter scale due to the limitation of actuator size effects. In this letter, we have designed a millimeter-scale microrobot configuration based on a new electric pulse drive principle. The microrobot has a high resonant frequency by utilizing Joual Heat generated from the pulsed electric arc. This vibrational excitation causes friction between the robot's legs and the ground to drive a fast-crawling movement. The microrobot can crawl forward on a smooth glass surface at a speed of up to 66.3 body lengths per second. It is also possible to move forward on a rough sandpaper surface at the maximum speed of up to 39.3 body lengths per second. The robot's millimeter size, fast crawling speed, and environmental adaptability enable it to operate in a wide range of future detection and reconnaissance applications.