Small‐Scale Soft Robot with High Speed and Load Capacity Inspired by Kangaroo Hopping

Abstract

Small insect‐scale robots have demonstrated considerable promise in fields such as equipment fault diagnosis, environmental monitoring, scientific investigation, and disaster relief. However, realizing beneficial traits such as high‐speed motion, high load capacity, an internal driving source, and environmental suitability in one small robot is still challenging. Inspired by kangaroo hopping, a small robot is designed with a two‐mass soft structure and driven by electromagnetic force. With the synergistic effect of the hopping motion, the soft robot displays two unique properties: 1) the loaded speed is larger than the unloaded one (0–10 times its body weight) and 2) by changing the driving frequency, the moving direction of the robot, i.e., forward or backward, can be controlled. In addition, the robot displays multiple leading properties, including a high‐motion speed (≈21.5 body lengths s−1) and large load capacity (≈32.5 times its body weight), compared to other robots on the same scale. Furthermore, the robot displays exceptional adaptive capabilities under different circumstances: it traverses slopes, rough and soft surfaces, and even maneuvers underwater. The design strategy and dynamic model adopted in this research provide a reference for future designs and lay a solid foundation for the practical application of high‐performing small robots.

Keywords

• electromagnetic actuators
• high speeds and loads
• small robots
• soft robots
• two-mass soft structures