Soft micro-robot based on vibration regulation and control and air-ground directional delivery control method thereof
By utilizing the frictional anisotropy of eccentric motors and flexible inclined beam arrays, the vibration-controlled soft microrobot achieves multi-degree-of-freedom motion, solving the problems of complex structure, difficult control, and high cost of existing microrobots, and adapting to confined and complex environments.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing microrobots are structurally complex, difficult to control, costly, and struggle to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom motion, making them unable to quickly cover confined spaces and complex environments.
A vibration-controlled soft microrobot is used, which utilizes an eccentric motor drive and a flexible inclined beam array to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom motion by adjusting the vibration frequency. Combined with the frictional anisotropy of the flexible inclined beam, it enables straight-line movement, turning, and coordinated air-ground movement.
It achieves multi-degree-of-freedom motion with simple structure, low cost, and easy control, adapts to complex terrain, reduces system power consumption, and improves operational reliability and adaptability in harsh environments.
Smart Images
Figure CN121848356A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of microrobot technology, specifically to a soft microrobot based on vibration regulation and its air-to-ground directional delivery control method. Background Technology
[0002] In fields such as disaster relief, pipeline inspection, and battlefield reconnaissance, the demand for miniature robots capable of entering confined spaces is becoming increasingly urgent. This demand stems from several severe real-world challenges: after disasters such as earthquakes and fires, there is a precious "golden 72-hour" rescue window, but the complex crevices in the ruins pose a huge safety risk to rescuers, and manual searches present a contradiction between efficiency and coverage; in industrial sectors such as petroleum and chemicals, the inspection of the intricate interiors of pipelines also faces the challenges of narrow pipe diameters, high costs and risks associated with manual inspections; and in the modern battlefield environment, there is also a clear demand for miniaturized equipment with covert reconnaissance capabilities.
[0003] There is currently no microrobot solution that can simultaneously achieve simple structure, easy control, low cost, multi-degree-of-freedom motion capability, and rapid area coverage. To address this, we propose a soft microrobot based on vibration regulation and its air-to-ground directional delivery control method. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a vibration-controlled soft microrobot and its air-to-ground directional delivery control method, which solves the problem of inconvenient operation of existing microrobots.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: a soft microrobot based on vibration regulation, comprising a main body and a drive unit, an integrated chip and a flexible inclined beam array disposed on the main body;
[0006] The main body of the fuselage includes thin plates symmetrically arranged on both sides, and asymmetrical slits are engraved on the thin plates so that the resonant frequencies of the two thin plates are different.
[0007] The flexible inclined beam array is located at the bottom of the main body of the fuselage. It is made of flexible material and fixed at a preset tilt angle, and has friction anisotropy characteristics.
[0008] The drive unit is an eccentric motor, which is electrically connected to the integrated chip. The integrated chip outputs a control signal to drive the eccentric motor to generate controllable periodic vibration. The eccentric motor drives the main body of the fuselage to perform periodic downward and upward movements through vibration. Combined with the frictional anisotropy of the flexible inclined beam array, the vertical vibration is converted into horizontal movement. Furthermore, by adjusting the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor, the resonant frequency difference between the thin plates on both sides is used to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom ground movement such as straight-line and turning.
[0009] Preferably, the main body of the machine body further includes a motor fixing sleeve and a flexible inclined beam array mounting base. The thin plate, the flexible inclined beam array mounting base, and the motor fixing sleeve are integrally formed structures. The eccentric motor is inserted into the motor fixing sleeve. The integrated chip is located on the lower side of the motor fixing sleeve. The flexible inclined beam array is located on the flexible inclined beam array mounting base.
[0010] Preferably, the frictional anisotropy of the flexible inclined beam array is specifically as follows: the frictional resistance is small when sliding along the inclined direction of the flexible inclined beam array, and the frictional resistance is large when sliding against the inclined direction;
[0011] During the downward pressing phase of the fuselage, the flexible inclined beam array adheres to the ground and stores elastic potential energy.
[0012] During the lifting phase of the main body, the flexible inclined beam array elastically resets and slides relative to the ground along the inclined direction, enabling the robot to achieve net forward displacement through asymmetric friction cycles.
[0013] Preferably, the main body of the fuselage is made of a rigid or semi-rigid polymer, including polylactic acid, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polycarbonate or lightweight wood board;
[0014] The main body of the fuselage is processed by methods including 3D printing, laser cutting, injection molding or compression molding, wherein 3D printing includes fused deposition modeling and photopolymerization.
[0015] Preferably, the flexible inclined beam array is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, silicone rubber, or flexible nylon composite material.
[0016] The flexible inclined beam array is formed by flexible material 3D printing, micro-injection molding, tufting process, or by casting / molding the elastomer as a whole and then processing it into a brush structure.
[0017] Preferably, the drive unit may also be a miniature brushless motor, a miniature linear resonant motor, a piezoelectric ceramic actuator, or a magnetically excited actuator. The integrated chip controls the vibration characteristics of the drive unit by adjusting the PWM duty cycle, frequency, or current of the input signal.
[0018] Preferably, the flexible inclined beam array includes an inner inclined beam group and an outer inclined beam group, the two thin plates on both sides of the main body are symmetrical, and the integrated chip excites the resonance of the inner inclined beam group or the outer inclined beam group respectively by adjusting the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor, so that the robot can achieve bidirectional straight-line movement forward and backward.
[0019] Preferably, the flexible inclined beam array includes a central inclined beam group, a left inclined beam group, and a right inclined beam group. The central inclined beam group is located directly behind the center of the fuselage body, and the left and right inclined beam groups are respectively located on the thin plates on both sides.
[0020] The central inclined beam assembly is directly driven by the eccentric motor to provide forward thrust. The integrated chip selectively excites the resonance of the thin plates on the left or right side by adjusting the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor, thereby enhancing the vibration of the corresponding inclined beam assembly and enabling the robot to turn left or right while moving forward.
[0021] Preferably, the two ends of the main body of the robot are provided with aerodynamically asymmetrical thin film wings. The difference in width of the thin film wings creates aerodynamic characteristics, which generates pitching aerodynamic torque when the robot is released from a high place, enabling autonomous directional and stable gliding. The gliding state is combined with the ground motion state to complete air-ground coordinated movement.
[0022] A vibration-controlled control method for air-to-ground directional delivery of soft microrobots includes the following steps:
[0023] S1. Release the robot from the designated high-altitude drop point. Utilize the aerodynamic difference between the asymmetrical thin-film wings at both ends of the fuselage to enable the robot to generate pitch aerodynamic torque and adjust to a stable gliding attitude, thereby achieving autonomous directional gliding and completing aerial delivery and wide-area coverage.
[0024] S2. After the robot lands, it outputs a control signal of a preset frequency to the eccentric motor through the integrated chip, driving the eccentric motor to generate periodic vibrations of the corresponding frequency.
[0025] S3. Adjust the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor according to the actual motion requirements: If straight movement is required, adjust the frequency to make the amplitude of the thin plates on both sides of the machine body consistent, driving the flexible inclined beam array on both sides to move synchronously; if turning is required, adjust the frequency to make the amplitude difference of the thin plates on both sides of the machine body generate a speed difference, driving the flexible inclined beam array on both sides to form a speed difference, realizing left turn or right turn.
[0026] S4. To achieve bidirectional straight-line movement or turning while moving forward, the frequency of the integrated chip is adjusted to excite the resonance of different groups of the flexible inclined beam array, thereby completing the switching of the corresponding motion mode and realizing precise ground movement and mission execution.
[0027] In summary, the technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows:
[0028] 1. In this invention, a single eccentric motor is used as the vibration drive source. By utilizing the resonant frequency difference between the asymmetrical slit plates on both sides of the robot body, multi-degree-of-freedom ground movements such as straight-line, left-turn, and right-turn can be achieved simply by adjusting the vibration frequency. This eliminates the need for multiple drive joints, complex transmission mechanisms, or multi-channel coordinated control circuits, completely solving the problems of complex structure, high manufacturing cost, and high control difficulty of traditional bionic legged and piezoelectric driven microrobots. Furthermore, the control end only needs to output a single frequency signal, eliminating the need for complex trajectory planning and parameter calculations, thus reducing system power consumption and operational barriers, and improving the reliability of the equipment in harsh environments.
[0029] 2. In this invention, the flexible inclined beam array at the bottom of the robot body is fixed at a preset tilt angle and possesses unique anisotropic frictional characteristics. It can stably convert the vertical simple harmonic motion of the eccentric motor into continuous horizontal forward displacement through an asymmetric friction cycle of "high frictional viscosity - low frictional slippage," resulting in high conversion efficiency and smooth movement. The flexible inclined beam array is made of flexible material, adapting to the contact requirements of complex terrains such as rough surfaces, gaps, and pipes. During movement, it can slightly deform with the terrain, avoiding jamming and tipping. Compared to traditional brush-type and fiber-driven peristaltic robots, it has superior motion adaptability and ground contact, with no unidirectional movement limitations.
[0030] 3. In this invention, the core structure can be modularly optimized and expanded according to actual task requirements. By adjusting the grouping method of the flexible inclined beam array and the symmetrical / asymmetrical design of the fuselage thin plate, customized motion modes such as bidirectional straight-line travel and continuous turning while moving forward can be realized, adapting to different narrow space operation requirements such as pipeline reciprocating inspection and precise movement in rubble gaps. At the same time, the materials, processing methods, and parameters of each structural component can be flexibly adjusted. For example, the main body of the fuselage can be made of different rigid polymers or lightweight plates, the flexible inclined beam array can be adapted to a variety of flexible materials and molding processes, and the drive unit can also be replaced with a micro brushless motor, piezoelectric ceramic actuator, etc., according to performance requirements. The design is highly flexible and can quickly adapt to the performance requirements of different application scenarios.
[0031] 4. In this invention, the core structure can be integrally formed or modularly assembled through conventional processes such as 3D printing, laser cutting, and injection molding. It has no precision or complex parts, has low processing difficulty and low manufacturing cost, and is suitable for mass production. At the same time, all components are lightweight designs with no redundant structures. The overall size is small and the weight is light, which can smoothly enter narrow spaces that are difficult for traditional equipment to reach, such as gaps in ruins and tiny pipes, thus meeting the core size requirements of micro robots in fields such as disaster relief and industrial inspection. Attached Figure Description
[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a soft microrobot based on vibration control according to the present invention.
[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the motion principle of a flexible inclined beam array in a vibration-controlled soft microrobot according to the present invention.
[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a microrobot turning left on a flat road surface in a soft microrobot based on vibration control according to the present invention.
[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a microrobot walking straight on a flat road in a soft microrobot based on vibration control according to the present invention;
[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the "forward + backward" type robot in Example 2;
[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the "forward and left turn + forward and right turn" type robot in Example 3;
[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the "directional gliding + walking" robot in Example 4;
[0039] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a vibration-controlled air-to-ground directional delivery control method for a soft microrobot according to the present invention.
[0040] In the diagram: 1. Thin plate; 2. Flexible inclined beam array; 3. Eccentric motor; 4. Integrated chip. Detailed Implementation
[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0042] Example 1: Basic soft micro-robot for straight-line movement and turning
[0043] This embodiment is a soft microrobot that realizes basic multi-degree-of-freedom motion such as straight movement and left / right turning. It is the core basic implementation method of this invention, and its structure and working principle form the design basis for subsequent extended embodiments.
[0044] like Figure 1As shown, the soft microrobot includes a main body, a drive unit, an integrated chip 4, and a flexible inclined beam array 2. The main body is integrally formed from thin plates 1 symmetrically arranged on both sides, a mounting base for the flexible inclined beam array 2, and a motor fixing sleeve. The thin plates 1 are engraved with asymmetrical slits as shown in the figure, so that the two thin plates 1 form different resonant frequencies. The flexible inclined beam array 2 is a comb-shaped inclined beam structure as shown in the figure, which is set on the mounting base at the bottom of the main body. It is made of flexible material and fixed at a preset tilt angle, and has significant frictional anisotropy. The drive unit uses an eccentric motor 3, which is inserted into the motor fixing sleeve. The integrated chip 4 is fixed on the lower side of the motor fixing sleeve and electrically connected to the eccentric motor 3. It is used to output control signals to drive the eccentric motor 3 to generate controllable periodic vibrations.
[0045] In this embodiment, the main body is made of polylactic acid (PLA) and is integrally formed by fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing to ensure the integrity and rigidity of the structure; the flexible inclined beam array 2 is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) and is formed by flexible material 3D printing, with its tilt angle set at 10° to ensure the effectiveness of frictional anisotropy; the eccentric motor 3 is a hollow cup DC brushed motor with an eccentric mass block, which is small in size, compact in structure and easy to control, and is suitable for the design requirements of micro robots.
[0046] Working principle
[0047] The robot in this embodiment achieves multi-degree-of-freedom ground motion based on vibration drive, frictional anisotropy, and resonant frequency difference, specifically divided into two parts: basic linear forward motion and steering adjustment motion.
[0048] linear motion: such as Figure 4 As shown, the integrated chip 4 outputs control signals to drive the eccentric motor 3 to rotate. The unbalanced distribution of the eccentric mass blocks inside generates periodic centrifugal force, causing the main body of the robot to perform simple harmonic motion perpendicular to the ground, i.e., periodic "press-lift" motion. During the pressing phase, the downward movement of the robot body presses the flexible inclined beam array 2 against the ground, increasing the normal force. The inclined beams bend and deform due to their own tilt angle and stiffness. Due to the high friction characteristics in the opposite tilt direction, the ends of the beams stick to the ground, with almost no relative sliding. At the same time, the inclined beams store elastic potential energy. During the lifting phase, the upward movement of the robot body reduces the normal force between the flexible inclined beam array 2 and the ground. The inclined beams extend and return to their original position under the action of elastic restoring force. At this time, the ends of the beams tend to slide along the tilt direction. With the help of the low friction characteristics along the tilt direction, the ends of the beams slide forward relative to the ground. Through this asymmetric friction cycle of "high friction sticking-low friction sliding", the robot obtains a net forward displacement in each vibration cycle. The continuous rotation of the eccentric motor 3 achieves stable and continuous linear forward movement.
[0049] Steering adjustment movement: such as Figure 3As shown, due to the asymmetrical slits engraved on the thin plates 1 on both sides of the robot body, there is an inherent difference in the resonant frequency. The integrated chip 4 can adjust the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor 3 to produce different amplitudes on the two thin plates 1: when the frequency is adjusted to a certain value, the amplitude of one thin plate 1 is greater than that of the other side, resulting in greater force and faster movement speed on the corresponding flexible inclined beam array 2. The robot turns left when the speed on the right is greater than that on the left, and turns right when the speed on the left is greater than that on the right. When the frequency is adjusted until the amplitudes of the two thin plates 1 tend to be consistent, the flexible inclined beam array 2 on both sides moves synchronously, and the robot maintains straight-line movement. By adjusting only a single frequency, the robot can achieve multi-degree-of-freedom movement switching of straight movement, left turn, and right turn, and the control logic is simple.
[0050] Example 2: Forward and backward movement of a bidirectional linear motion soft microrobot
[0051] Based on the previous embodiment, this embodiment optimizes the structure of the flexible inclined beam array 2 and the thin plate 1 of the main body to enable the robot to move forward and backward in a straight line, adapting to task scenarios that require reciprocating movement, such as reciprocating inspection in pipelines and position adjustment in confined spaces.
[0052] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the flexible inclined beam array 2 is divided into an inner inclined beam group and an outer inclined beam group. Both groups of inclined beams are fixed at a preset tilt angle and tilt in opposite directions. The inner inclined beam group is adapted to the frictional anisotropy of forward movement, and the outer inclined beam group is adapted to the frictional anisotropy of backward movement. At the same time, the thin plates 1 on both sides of the main body are designed as a completely symmetrical structure to eliminate the difference in resonance frequency on both sides and ensure that the robot does not yaw during linear movement. In this embodiment, the tilt angle of both the inner and outer inclined beam groups is set to 10°. The raw material is silicone rubber PDMS, which is processed into a brush-like inclined beam structure after molding, resulting in better flexibility and strong wear resistance. The drive unit still uses a hollow cup DC brushed motor, and the integrated chip 4 retains the frequency adjustment function.
[0053] Principle of bidirectional motion
[0054] The core design logic of this embodiment is to selectively excite the resonance of different inclined beam groups through frequency adjustment: Since the structural parameters of the inner and outer inclined beam groups differ, their resonance frequencies are different. When the integrated chip 4 adjusts the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor 3 to the resonance frequency of the inner inclined beam group, the inner inclined beam group is significantly excited and becomes the dominant motion component, propelling the robot forward in a straight line using its frictional anisotropy. When the vibration frequency is switched to the resonance frequency of the outer inclined beam group, the dominant resonance component becomes the outer inclined beam group, propelling the robot backward in a straight line using its opposite frictional anisotropy. This embodiment achieves bidirectional linear motion through frequency adjustment of only a single eccentric motor 3, without the need for additional drive units, maintaining structural simplicity. Furthermore, the symmetrical thin plate 1 structure ensures that both bidirectional movements are linear, without steering deviation.
[0055] Example 3: Composite motion soft microrobot forward + left turn + right turn
[0056] This embodiment combines the design ideas of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 to carry out multi-group design of flexible inclined beam array 2, so as to realize the left and right turning compound motion in the robot's forward state, and adapt to continuous movement and path adjustment in complex and narrow spaces, such as reconnaissance in rubble gaps and complex pipelines.
[0057] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the flexible inclined beam array 2 is divided into a central inclined beam group, a left inclined beam group, and a right inclined beam group. The central inclined beam group is located directly behind the center of the main body and is directly driven by an eccentric motor 3, providing the robot with basic forward thrust. The left and right inclined beam groups are respectively located on thin plates 1 on both sides of the main body. The thin plates 1 on both sides are still engraved with asymmetrical slits, possessing different resonant frequencies, and the resonant frequencies of the left and right inclined beam groups are significantly different from those of the central inclined beam group. In this embodiment, the central inclined beam group is made of flexible nylon composite material and is formed by tufting to ensure the stability of the basic forward thrust. The left and right inclined beam groups are made of TPU material, consistent with the previous embodiment, to ensure the sensitivity of steering adjustment.
[0058] Principle of compound motion
[0059] Integrated chip 4 outputs basic control signals to drive eccentric motor 3 to rotate, directly driving the central inclined beam assembly and continuously providing forward thrust to keep the robot moving forward. When turning is required, integrated chip 4 adjusts the vibration frequency of eccentric motor 3 to selectively excite the resonance of the left or right thin plate 1: when the left thin plate 1 resonates, the vibration of the left inclined beam assembly is greatly enhanced, and its movement speed is significantly increased, allowing the robot to turn right while moving forward; when the right thin plate 1 resonates, the vibration of the right inclined beam assembly is greatly enhanced, and its movement speed is increased, allowing the robot to turn left while moving forward. In this embodiment, the robot can complete turning actions without stopping its forward movement, achieving continuous compound motion of "forward-left / right turn," greatly improving its mobility in complex environments while maintaining simple control logic of single drive and single frequency adjustment.
[0060] Example 4: Oriented gliding of a soft microrobot with air-ground cooperative motion + multi-degree-of-freedom motion on the ground
[0061] This embodiment adds a passive aerodynamic gliding structure to any of the above embodiments, enabling the robot to have the ability to perform air-ground coordinated movements, including high-altitude directional gliding and multi-degree-of-freedom ground movements. It is suitable for mission scenarios that require rapid deployment and regional coverage, such as large-scale reconnaissance and post-disaster life search, and is the optimal embodiment of the present invention.
[0062] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, aerodynamically asymmetrical thin-film wings are respectively set at both ends of the robot body. The thin-film wings are made of lightweight waterproof polyester film, and the width of one side of the thin-film wing is greater than that of the other side, so that the two sides of the thin-film wing form a significant difference in aerodynamic characteristics. The body and the flexible inclined beam array 2 adopt the composite motion structure of the embodiment to ensure that the robot has the composite motion capability of forward, left turn and right turn after landing. The connection relationship between the drive unit and the integrated chip 4 remains unchanged.
[0063] Principle of Air-Ground Cooperative Motion
[0064] The robot's motion in this embodiment is divided into an aerial directional gliding phase and a ground-based multi-degree-of-freedom motion phase. The two phases are seamlessly connected without the need for additional power switching. Specifically:
[0065] Aerial directional gliding phase: The robot is released stationary from a high-altitude launch point. Due to the difference in width between the two ends of the membrane wings, the lift generated by the interaction of the membrane wings with the airflow differs—the wider side generates greater lift than the narrower side. This creates an aerodynamic torque in the pitch direction, driving the robot's head to nose down towards the narrower side of the membrane wing, entering a directional dive. Subsequently, under the continuous influence of the airflow, the robot's attitude gradually stabilizes, ultimately maintaining the preset trim angle of attack, achieving autonomous and stable directional gliding. By designing the width difference of the membrane wings, the gliding direction and distance of the robot can be customized. Releasing multiple robots from the same launch point allows them to autonomously disperse in different directions, significantly improving the area coverage efficiency of wide-area missions.
[0066] Ground multi-degree-of-freedom motion stage: After the robot glides and lands, the integrated chip 4 directly drives the eccentric motor 3 to start. Without any structural adjustments, the robot can use its own flexible inclined beam array 2 and resonant frequency difference to achieve forward, left turn, and right turn compound motion as shown in the embodiment, and complete precise movement, path adjustment and close-range task execution such as life sign detection and environmental monitoring after landing.
[0067] The thin-film wing in this embodiment is a passive aerodynamic structure. During gliding, no drive unit is required to provide any power, resulting in no additional energy consumption. Furthermore, the thin-film wing is lightweight and small in size, and will not affect the robot's ground movement performance. It truly realizes air-ground collaboration of "rapid deployment in the air + precise operation on the ground," expanding the application scenarios and mission capabilities of micro-robots.
[0068] General Implementation Details
[0069] Material and processing method substitution: In the above embodiments, the main body material can be replaced with acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polycarbonate or lightweight wood board according to actual needs, and the processing method can be replaced with photopolymerization molding 3D printing, laser cutting, injection molding or compression molding; the flexible inclined beam array 2 material can be replaced with flexible nylon composite material, and the molding method can be replaced with micro-injection molding, casting the elastomer as a whole and then processing it into a brush structure. All substitutions do not change the core design principle of the present invention.
[0070] Replacement of the drive unit: The eccentric motor 3 in the above embodiments can be replaced with a micro brushless motor, a micro linear resonant motor, a piezoelectric ceramic actuator or a magnetically excited actuator according to performance requirements. The integrated chip 4 can achieve precise control of the vibration characteristics of different drive units by adjusting the PWM duty cycle, frequency or current of the input signal. Finally, the motion mode switching is still achieved by frequency adjustment, which is within the scope of protection of this invention.
[0071] Parameter adjustment: The tilt angle of the flexible inclined beam array 2, the pattern and size of the slits on the thin plate 1, the width difference of the thin film wings, and other parameters in each embodiment can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual application scenario. The optimization of robot motion performance can be achieved by customizing parameters, which are all conventional design variations of the present invention.
[0072] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A soft microrobot based on vibration modulation, characterized in that: It includes the fuselage body and the drive unit, integrated chip (4) and flexible inclined beam array (2) disposed on the fuselage body; The main body of the fuselage includes thin plates (1) arranged symmetrically on both sides. Asymmetrical slits are engraved on the thin plates (1) so that the resonant frequencies of the two thin plates (1) are different. The flexible inclined beam array (2) is located at the bottom of the fuselage body, is made of flexible material and is fixed at a preset tilt angle, and has friction anisotropy characteristics; The driving unit is an eccentric motor (3), which is electrically connected to the integrated chip (4). The integrated chip (4) outputs a control signal to drive the eccentric motor (3) to generate controllable periodic vibration. The eccentric motor (3) drives the main body of the fuselage to perform periodic downward and upward movements through vibration. Combined with the frictional anisotropy of the flexible inclined beam array (2), the vertical vibration is converted into horizontal movement. Furthermore, by adjusting the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor (3), the resonant frequency difference between the thin plates (1) on both sides is used to realize multi-degree-of-freedom ground movement of straight-line and turning.
2. The soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body of the machine also includes a motor fixing sleeve and a flexible inclined beam array mounting base. The thin plate (1), the flexible inclined beam array mounting base and the motor fixing sleeve are integrally formed structures. The eccentric motor (3) is inserted into the motor fixing sleeve. The integrated chip (4) is located on the lower side of the motor fixing sleeve. The flexible inclined beam array (2) is located on the flexible inclined beam array mounting base.
3. The soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frictional anisotropy of the flexible inclined beam array (2) is as follows: the frictional resistance is small when sliding along the inclined direction of the flexible inclined beam array (2), and the frictional resistance is large when sliding against the inclined direction. During the downward pressing phase of the fuselage, the flexible inclined beam array (2) adheres to the ground and stores elastic potential energy; During the lifting phase of the main body, the flexible inclined beam array (2) is elastically reset and slides relative to the ground along the inclined direction, enabling the robot to obtain a net forward displacement through asymmetric friction cycle.
4. A soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body of the fuselage is made of rigid or semi-rigid polymers, including polylactic acid, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polycarbonate or lightweight wood panels; The main body of the fuselage is processed by methods including 3D printing, laser cutting, injection molding or compression molding, wherein 3D printing includes fused deposition modeling and photopolymerization.
5. A soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible inclined beam array (2) is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, silicone rubber or flexible nylon composite material. The flexible inclined beam array (2) is formed by flexible material 3D printing, micro-injection molding, tufting process, or by casting / molding the elastomer as a whole and then processing it into a brush structure.
6. A soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive unit may also be a micro brushless motor, a micro linear resonant motor, a piezoelectric ceramic actuator or a magnetically excited actuator. The integrated chip (4) controls the vibration characteristics of the drive unit by adjusting the PWM duty cycle, frequency or current of the input signal.
7. A soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible inclined beam array (2) includes an inner inclined beam group and an outer inclined beam group. The thin plates (1) on both sides of the main body are symmetrical structures. The integrated chip (4) adjusts the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor (3) to excite the resonance of the inner inclined beam group or the outer inclined beam group respectively, so that the robot can achieve bidirectional straight-line movement forward and backward.
8. A soft microrobot based on vibration control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible inclined beam array (2) includes a central inclined beam group, a left inclined beam group and a right inclined beam group. The central inclined beam group is located at the rear of the center of the fuselage body, and the left and right inclined beam groups are respectively located on the thin plates (1) on both sides. The central inclined beam group is directly driven by the eccentric motor (3) to provide forward thrust. The integrated chip (4) selectively excites the resonance of the thin plate (1) on the left or right side by adjusting the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor (3), thereby enhancing the vibration of the corresponding inclined beam group and enabling the robot to turn left or right in the forward state.
9. A soft microrobot based on vibration modulation according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: The main body of the robot has asymmetrical thin-film wings at both ends. The difference in width of the thin-film wings creates aerodynamic characteristics, which generates pitching aerodynamic torque when the robot is released from a high place, enabling autonomous directional and stable gliding. The gliding state is combined with the ground motion state to complete air-ground coordinated movement.
10. A vibration-controlled air-to-ground directional delivery control method for soft microrobots, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Release the robot from the designated high-altitude drop point. Utilize the aerodynamic difference between the asymmetrical thin-film wings at both ends of the fuselage to enable the robot to generate pitch aerodynamic torque and adjust to a stable gliding attitude, thereby achieving autonomous directional gliding and completing aerial delivery and wide-area coverage. S2. After the robot lands, it outputs a control signal of a preset frequency to the eccentric motor (3) through the integrated chip (4) to drive the eccentric motor (3) to generate periodic vibrations of the corresponding frequency. S3. Adjust the vibration frequency of the eccentric motor (3) according to the actual motion requirements: If straight movement is required, adjust the frequency to make the amplitude of the thin plates (1) on both sides of the machine body consistent, and drive the flexible inclined beam array (2) on both sides to move synchronously; If turning is required, adjust the frequency to make the thin plates (1) on both sides of the machine body generate an amplitude difference, and drive the flexible inclined beam array (2) on both sides to form a speed difference, so as to achieve left turn or right turn. S4. If bidirectional straight-line movement or turning while moving forward is required, the frequency of the integrated chip (4) is adjusted to excite the resonance of different groups of flexible inclined beam array (2) to complete the switching of the corresponding motion mode and realize precise ground movement and task execution.