Multiorifice acoustic microrobot for boundary-free multimodal 3D swimming.

The emerging new generation of small-scaled acoustic microrobots is poised to expedite the adoption of microrobotics in biomedical research. Recent designs of these microrobots have enabled intricate bioinspired motions, paving the way for their real-world applications. We present a multiorifice design of air-filled spherical microrobots that convert acoustic wave energy to efficient propulsion through a resonant encapsulated microbubble.

Acoustic Streaming-Induced Multimodal Locomotion of Bubble-Based Microrobots.

Acoustically-driven bubbles at the micron scale can generate strong microstreaming flows in its surrounding fluidic medium. The tunable acoustic streaming strength of oscillating microbubbles and the diversity of the generated flow patterns enable the design of fast-moving microrobots with multimodal locomotion suitable for biomedical applications. The acoustic microrobots holding two coupled microbubbles inside a rigid body are presented; trapped bubbles inside the L-shaped structure with different orifices generate various streaming flows, thus allowing multiple degrees of freedom in locomotion.

Control and study of bio-inspired quadrupedal gaits on an underactuated miniature robot.

This paper presents a linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller for controlling the gait of a miniature, foldable quadruped robot with individually actuated and controlled legs (MinIAQ-III). The controller is implemented on a palm-size robot made by folding an acetate sheet. MinIAQ-III has four DC motors for actuation and four rotary sensors for feedback.

Gait and locomotion analysis of a soft-hybrid multi-legged modular miniature robot.

The locomotion performance of the current legged miniature robots remains inferior compared to even the most simple insects. The inferiority has led researchers to utilize biological principles and control in their designs, often resulting in improved performance and robot capabilities. Additionally, optimizing the locomotion patterns compatible with the robot's limitations (such as the gaits achievable by the robot) improves the performance significantly and results in a robot operating with its maximum capabilities.