A wind- and electric-field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot

Abstract

A miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot driven by wind and electric field can carry different types of sensors and land on Mars together with large-scale devices such as Mars rovers without the need for additional driving energy to achieve parameter detection. It relates to the field of micro-robot technology. The main body of the detector is a spider bionic foot structure that plays a supporting and attitude control role; the fiber charging system charges multiple fiber filaments so that after being charged, the multiple fiber filaments repel and disperse from each other due to the same charges, and interact with the opposite charges in the Martian atmosphere, so that the fiber filaments can stand upright, increase the resistance area, and prepare for takeoff by relying on the wind field; the attitude control system applies electricity to the bionic foot to enable the bionic foot to flex and extend. The asymmetric flexion and extension of the six bionic feet changes the wind resistance and thus causes the force to change, thereby adjusting the flight direction; the present invention is suitable for miniature spider-like detectors for detecting planets with thin atmosphere and electric field environments such as Mars.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of micro-robots, and in particular to a micro-spider-like Mars flying exploration robot driven by wind and electric fields. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of science and technology, deep space exploration is one of the most cutting-edge scientific and innovative missions in the aerospace field. Deep space exploration not only enhances humanity's understanding of the unknown realms of space and the origins of life, but also promotes the development of space science and technology and facilitates the development and utilization of space resources. Mars, as Earth's neighbor, has always been one of the most attractive targets for deep space exploration.

[0003] The Martian atmosphere differs significantly from Earth's. Its atmospheric density is only 1% of Earth's, and frequent global dust storms can lead to extreme conditions such as sudden increases in suspended particle concentrations and sudden drops in light intensity. These characteristics make in situ measurements of physical quantities in the Martian atmosphere (such as wind speed, air pressure, dust storm particle distribution, and electrostatic field strength) of great significance for studying Martian climate evolution, assessing risks for manned exploration, and designing equipment protection. However, existing technical solutions face the following key bottlenecks:

[0004] 1. The adaptability drawbacks of traditional flying probes: Rotorcraft (such as NASA's Ingenuity helicopter) rely on high-speed rotors to generate lift, but maintaining flight in the thin Martian atmosphere consumes significant energy. Furthermore, the dust storm environment can easily lead to wear on mechanical components and static electricity from dust. While flapping-wing designs improve aerodynamic efficiency, their complex transmission mechanisms significantly reduce reliability in the Martian cold (-60°C to 20°C) and dust erosion.

[0005] 2. Gaps in Passive Flight Technology: Existing Mars rovers are limited to wheeled patrols or short hops, lacking the ability to dynamically monitor wide-area atmospheric parameters. Known passive flight methods in Earth environments (such as wind-driven dispersion of dandelion seeds) are ineffective due to the extremely low density of the Martian atmosphere and are unable to cope with the strong turbulence present in dust storms.

[0006] 3. Potential value of spider biomimetics: Spiders achieve wingless passive flight by releasing charged silk. This principle involves the synergistic effect of electrostatic forces and airflow: the repulsion between the surface charge of the silk and the negative charge of the Martian surface enhances lift, while the fractal filament structure effectively reduces the impact damage of dust storm particles. This mechanism has not yet been applied to deep space exploration, and the path to technical translation in the extreme atmospheric conditions of Mars is still unclear.

[0007] Based on this, it is urgent to develop a new type of Martian atmosphere detection device. By imitating the passive flight principle of bionic spiders, we can break through the environmental adaptability limitations of traditional aircraft and achieve high survivability and wide-area detection capabilities in dust storm environments.

[0008] Traditional probes, limited by their size and terrain adaptability, are unable to cover medium-sized, complex areas (such as lava tubes and vertical rock faces) that require exploration. Furthermore, most traditional probes are solar-powered, and their performance degrades during Martian dust storms or during winter, when sunlight is insufficient. This makes traditional probes susceptible to energy constraints, limiting their mission scope.

[0009] Because the radiation intensity on the Martian surface is 700 times that of Earth, dust storm particles can easily corrode delicate components. For example, the mechanical joints of the Mars rover are susceptible to wear in a high-dust environment, leading to the failure of moving parts. Therefore, minimizing the number of delicate mechanical components while ensuring the completion of the exploration mission has become a pressing issue. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to provide a miniature passive flying detection robot that relies on wind and electric field forces as power, so that it does not require additional driving energy, is lightweight, can carry different types of sensors, and land on Mars together with large devices such as Mars rovers, and then detect various parameters in the Martian atmosphere.

[0011] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solutions:

[0012] The present invention provides a wind- and electric-field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot, which includes a probe body, a fiber system, a power supply system, and a posture control system.

[0013] The main body of the detector is a spider-like bionic foot structure with six bionic feet for support and posture control.

[0014] The fiber system includes a fiber charging system and a plurality of fiber filaments, and the plurality of fiber filaments are fixed on the detector body;

[0015] The fiber charging system is used to charge multiple fiber filaments, so that after being charged, the multiple fiber filaments repel and disperse each other due to the same charges, and interact with the opposite charges in the Martian atmosphere, so that the fiber filaments can stand upright, increase the resistance area, and prepare for takeoff by relying on the wind field;

[0016] The attitude control system is used to apply electricity to the bionic feet to enable them to flex and extend. The asymmetric flexion and extension of the six bionic feet changes the wind resistance and thus the force, thereby adjusting the flight direction.

[0017] The power supply system is used to provide working power for the bionic foot and fiber filaments.

[0018] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the fiber filaments are fibers having physical properties that allow them to be stably charged.

[0019] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the amount of charge on the fiber filaments is variable to affect the degree of dispersion between the fiber filaments, thereby affecting the wind resistance coefficient, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the flight altitude of the probe.

[0020] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the Mars flight exploration robot further includes a power supply control system;

[0021] The power control system optimizes the auxiliary effect of the electric field force on the flight of the probe by adjusting the charged state of the fiber filaments, ensuring that the probe can fly stably in a complex electric field environment.

[0022] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the Mars flight exploration robot further includes a sensor system and a detection data processing system;

[0023] The sensor system is used to detect various physical quantities, radiation intensity and chemical composition in the Martian atmosphere and send them to the detection data processing system for data processing.

[0024] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the sensor system includes a plurality of physical quantity sensors, radiation-related sensors and chemical composition analysis sensors.

[0025] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the fiber filaments are 50 cm in length, 50 to 100 in number, and 1 mm in diameter.

[0026] Furthermore, there is another preferred embodiment in which the volume of the detector body is 2×2×2cm 3 .

[0027] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the detection robot weighs 1g.

[0028] Furthermore, there is a preferred embodiment in which the above-mentioned exploration robot is used to implement an in-situ exploration mission of the atmosphere on Mars.

[0029] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0030] This invention designs a miniature passive flying exploration robot powered by wind and electric field forces. During takeoff, the fiber strands on the exploration body, each with a similar charge, repel and disperse, forming a clustered geometric structure. This increases the area exposed to wind resistance, enabling passive flight by exploiting the ultra-high-speed winds of Mars. Simultaneously, the dissimilar charges in the Martian atmosphere cause the fiber strands to stand upright, increasing the resistance area and preparing for takeoff by wind.

[0031] Furthermore, when the wind in the Martian atmosphere is strong enough, the lift generated by the wind on the fibers overcomes the probe's own gravity and other resistance, propelling the probe into flight. During flight, the probe can continuously adjust the charge level of the fibers, controlling the dispersion between the fibers and thus affecting the amount of resistance generated and the magnitude of the electric field force it experiences.

[0032] Furthermore, the shape of the detector body imitates a spider. The imitated spider has six legs, each about 2 cm long and made of electro-sensitive material. When powered on, it can achieve a certain degree of deformation (bending), thereby imitating the spider to adjust its flight posture in the air by flexing and extending its legs, thereby controlling the direction of flight.

[0033] The present invention is suitable for detecting planets with thin atmosphere and electric field environment such as Mars. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0035] Figure 1 This is the electrical schematic diagram of a wind- and electric-field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot proposed in the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the fiber charging of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bionic foot posture control according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In the following description, specific details such as specific system structures and technologies are provided for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, so as to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that the present application can also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted to avoid unnecessary details that obscure the description of the present application.

[0039] It will be understood that when used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of described features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0040] The specific embodiments of the present invention are further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments will help those skilled in the art further understand the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention in any form. It should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various changes and improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention, and these are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] Implementation method 1, see Figure 1 This embodiment is described. The purpose of this embodiment is to provide a miniature passive flying detection robot that relies on wind and electric field forces as power, so that it does not require additional driving energy, is lightweight, can carry different types of sensors, and land on Mars together with large devices such as Mars rovers, and then detect various parameters in the Martian atmosphere.

[0042] The wind and electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot designed in this embodiment includes a probe body, a fiber system, a power supply system and an attitude control system;

[0043] The main body of the detector is a spider-like bionic foot structure with six bionic feet for support and posture control.

[0044] The fiber system includes a fiber charging system and a plurality of fiber filaments, and the plurality of fiber filaments are fixed on the detector body;

[0045] The fiber charging system is used to charge multiple fiber filaments, so that after being charged, the multiple fiber filaments repel and disperse each other due to the same charges, and interact with the opposite charges in the Martian atmosphere, so that the fiber filaments can stand upright, increase the resistance area, and prepare for takeoff by relying on the wind field;

[0046] The attitude control system is used to apply electricity to the bionic feet to enable them to flex and extend. The asymmetric flexion and extension of the six bionic feet changes the wind resistance and thus the force, thereby adjusting the flight direction.

[0047] The power supply system is used to provide working power for the bionic foot and fiber filaments.

[0048] The Mars exploration flight detection robot designed in this embodiment uses an artificial spider silk (fiber) structure and the electric field and wind field in the Martian atmosphere to achieve high-altitude long-distance passive flight, realizing the in-situ atmospheric detection mission on Mars. This detector has the ability to carry different types of scientific payloads (sensors). It can land on Mars together with large devices such as the Mars rover, and then be dropped from the ground or air-dropped during the landing process to detect various parameters in the Martian atmosphere. These parameters cover a variety of physical quantities such as wind speed, electric field, humidity, temperature, and radiation, and its applicable detection range is very wide.

[0049] Furthermore, the shape of the detector body imitates a spider. The imitated spider has six legs, each about 2 cm long and made of electro-sensitive material. When powered on, it can achieve a certain degree of deformation (bending), thereby imitating the spider to adjust its flight posture in the air by flexing and extending its legs, thereby controlling the direction of flight.

[0050] Embodiment 2: A wind- and electric-field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot designed in the above embodiment 1 further includes a power control system, a sensor system, and a detection data processing system;

[0051] The power control system optimizes the auxiliary effect of the electric field force on the flight of the probe by adjusting the charged state of the fiber filaments, ensuring that the probe can fly stably in a complex electric field environment.

[0052] The sensor system is used to detect various physical quantities, radiation intensity and chemical composition in the Martian atmosphere and send them to the detection data processing system for data processing.

[0053] In actual application of this embodiment, the sensor system includes multiple physical quantity sensors, radiation-related sensors, and chemical composition analysis sensors.

[0054] Implementation method three, see Figures 1 to 3 This embodiment is described below. This embodiment specifically describes the wind- and electric-field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot described in Embodiment 1.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, it specifically includes a probe body, a fiber system, a power supply system, an attitude control system, a sensor system and a detection data processing system;

[0056] The main body of the probe is designed with a spider-like bionic foot structure, featuring six bionic legs that serve both as a support and as a posture control mechanism. The probe's main function is to serve as a platform for sensors, fibers, and a power supply system. The probe's dimensions are 2 x 2 x 2 cm³. Its mass is approximately 1 g.

[0057] The fiber system includes a fiber charging system and multiple fiber filaments. The multiple fiber filaments extend from the top of the main body and can provide lift for the detector with the help of the wind field. Figure 2 shown.

[0058] The fiber filaments are approximately 50 cm long, numbering between 50 and 100, with a diameter of 1 mm. They possess physical properties that allow for stable electrical charge. The fibers are charged via a fiber charging system. Multiple filaments with similar charges repel and disperse from each other, forming a clustered geometric structure. This increases the area affected by wind resistance, enabling passive flight thanks to the ultra-high-speed winds on Mars. Furthermore, due to the dry Martian atmosphere, which often harbors charges, the electric field in the Martian atmosphere also provides a source of propulsion for the probe's flight. Specifically, the electric field in the Martian atmosphere allows the charged filaments, with opposite charges, to "erect" themselves. This process increases the drag area, facilitating takeoff via the wind. Furthermore, when the probe is within the Martian atmospheric electric field, the attractive force exerted by the electric field on the charged fibers creates an additional force. This force, combined with the wind force, acts on the probe, assisting its flight through the Martian atmosphere. During flight, the probe can adjust the fiber charge state based on changes in the electric field strength, optimizing the electric field's impact on flight and ensuring stable flight in complex electric field environments. Changes in the amount of charge will also affect the degree of dispersion between fiber filaments, thereby affecting the wind resistance coefficient and achieving the purpose of controlling flight altitude.

[0059] The power system is used to provide the necessary electrical energy for the entire electrified system to ensure its normal operation. A small battery provides the power source, primarily for charging the fiber and providing the basic power required for the onboard probe payload.

[0060] The power control system controls the output voltage and thus the amount of charge output to the fiber filaments.

[0061] The main body of the probe can also carry a variety of physical quantity sensors, radiation-related sensors, chemical composition analysis sensors, etc., which are used to collect various parameters in the Martian atmosphere and send them to the detection data quantity system for data processing. These parameters cover a variety of physical quantities such as wind speed, electric field, humidity, temperature, radiation, etc., and the applicable detection range is very wide.

[0062] The attitude control system is used to apply electricity to the bionic foot to make it flex and extend. The asymmetric flexion and extension of the six bionic feet changes the wind resistance and thus the force, so as to adjust the flight direction. Figure 3 shown.

[0063] It should also be understood that the terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0064] The foregoing description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wind- and electric-field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot, characterized in that: It includes the probe body, fiber system, power supply system and attitude control system; The main body of the detector is a spider-like bionic foot structure with six bionic feet for support and posture control. The fiber system includes a fiber charging system and a plurality of fiber filaments, and the plurality of fiber filaments are fixed on the detector body; The fiber charging system is used to charge multiple fiber filaments, so that after being charged, the multiple fiber filaments repel and disperse each other due to the same charges, and interact with the opposite charges in the Martian atmosphere, so that the fiber filaments can stand upright, increase the resistance area, and prepare for takeoff by relying on the wind field; The attitude control system is used to apply electricity to the bionic feet to enable them to flex and extend. The asymmetric flexion and extension of the six bionic feet changes the wind resistance and thus the force, thereby adjusting the flight direction. The power supply system is used to provide working power for the bionic foot and fiber filaments.

2. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Fiber filaments are fibers that have physical properties that allow them to be stably charged.

3. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The amount of charge on the fiber filaments can be varied to affect the degree of dispersion between the fiber filaments, thereby affecting the wind resistance coefficient, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the flight altitude of the probe.

4. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a power control system; The power control system optimizes the auxiliary effect of the electric field force on the flight of the probe by adjusting the charged state of the fiber filaments, ensuring that the probe can fly stably in a complex electric field environment.

5. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a sensor system and a detection data processing system; The sensor system is used to detect various physical quantities, radiation intensity and chemical composition in the Martian atmosphere and send them to the detection data processing system for data processing.

6. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sensor system includes various physical quantity sensors, radiation-related sensors, and chemical composition analysis sensors.

7. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fiber filaments are 50 cm in length, 50 to 100 in number, and 1 mm in diameter.

8. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detector body has a volume of 2×2×2cm 3 .

9. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection robot weighs 1g.

10. The wind-electric field-driven miniature spider-like Mars flying exploration robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exploration robot is used to carry out in-situ atmospheric exploration missions on Mars.

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