Chinese scientists achieve a breakthrough in micro-current technology for robotic insects

Biomimetic insects can play an important role in disaster relief as well as maintenance of large mechanical equipment. Scientists at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics recently made a breakthrough in biomimetic technology and developed a biomimetic insect.

According to Yan Xiaojun, a professor at the Institute of Energy and Energy Engineering at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the robotic insect is two centimeters long, one centimeter wide, and its vertical surface weighs 1.76 grams. It is highly mobile, highly flexible and can be controlled wirelessly. In the middle of a pile of small stones, this four-legged robotic insect can move nimbly and freely, like a beetle.

The drive system is the heart of the robot bug. Ordinary robots are usually powered by electric motors, which impose high requirements on the power supply. Since the small robots do not have enough space inside for large-capacity batteries and require external wiring for power, their movements are very limited. After many years of research, scientists at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics have now developed a new drive system that makes the tiny robot independent of external electric motors and wiring.

“We built the power, control, communications and sensing systems into the body of the robotic insect,” explains Liu Qiu, an assistant professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. “The magnet, which is generated by small batteries built into the insect’s body, triggers the vibrations of nearby magnets, which can cause Moving the joints of the insect's legs.

According to Zhan Wencheng, a member of the research team at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the team also designed a biomimetic walking gait that enables rapid crawling under high loads by adaptively adjusting the robotic insect's gait frequencies and stride lengths.

Professor Yan Xiaojun expects widespread development and application of microrobots thanks to the successful development of microcurrent technology. This could make post-disaster search and rescue operations as well as detecting damage to large mechanical devices and infrastructure easier, according to the scientist.