Motion Characteristics of Magnetic Control Micro-soft Crawling Robot

Abstract

In order to realize the cable-less driven for the micro-robot, a magnetic control micro-soft crawling robot based on magnetic elastic composite material is designed. Variable spatial magnetic fields are set up to generate variable magnetic moment on magnetic material through 3D Helmholtz coils. Coupled with the magnetic moment, gravity, friction and elastic deformation of the robot, the crawling motion is achieved by multiple continuous postures. The structure and production process of Micro-soft crawling robot is introduced, and the quasi-static force balance equation is established. Comparing Abaqus finite element simulation and experimental results, the motion characteristics of the robot are analyzed, such as bending deformation, contact surface friction, crawling step length and steering. The speed model of robot crawling action is established, and the influence of the frequency and amplitude of control signal is analyzed. The path planning control of the crawling robot is carried out. The experimental and simulation results show that the robot can realize the crawling motion in any direction in the xy plane, and this work may lay a foundation for further study of the motion characteristics and laws of the magnetic control micro-robot.