A new hybrid underwater microrobot

Biomimetic microrobot with multi DOF that can walk smoothly in water or aqueous medium has urgently been demanded in the medical field and industry application. For this kind of microrobot, some characteristics are needed, such as simple and compact structure and efficient locomotion. Then special actuator materials are manufactured to meet these requests and IPMC is one of these materials. For IPMC actuator can generate large bending motions with very small dimensions, a number of studies have demonstrated propulsion of walking objects using it. And, In order to resolve the problems of asymmetry in previous developed microrobot, we have developed a new type of underwater microrobot using 8 IPMC actuators as legs. In addition, we have proposed a concept of biomimetic microrobot consisted of a body and a base. The base has 8 legs, which can walk forward and back. Also it can rotate to change its walking direction. The body is made of rubber material shaped as a hemisphere. The micororobot can realize a movement process as the jellyfish does when it is floating and sinking. Some experiments are then carried out to evaluate the characteristics of the base and the body respectively.