Design of mobile microrobots with thermomechanical actuators

A design concept of a legged mobile microrobot that utilizes thermomechanical actuators is discussed. The forces and torques acting on the legs of the microrobot are identified and analyzed. The phases of motion, conditions of motion, and sequences of operations are defined; the performance characteristics of the robots are studied. A number of design schematics of the microrobot are presented and compared. The issues related to the mechanical structure of the robots, as well as the content and amount of information required by the measurement and control systems are considered. A modified thermomechanical actuator was developed for the microrobot leg. The structure of the actuator involves a feedback sensor. The design sketches of the inspector microrobot with an on-board micromanipulator based on the thermomechanical actuator are proposed. Possible applications of the microrobot for aerospace planet missions are discussed. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Grant #14-19-00949).