Miniature robots provide unprecedented access to confined environments and show promising potential for novel applications such as search-and-rescue and high-value asset inspection. The capability of body deformation further enhances the reachability of these small robots in complex cluttered terrains similar to those of insects and soft arthropods. Motivated by this concept, we present CLARI, an insect-scale 2.59g quadrupedal robot capable of body deformation with tethered electrical connections for power and control and manufactured using laminate fabrication and assembled using origami pop-up techniques. In order to enable locomotion in multiple shape configurations, we designed a novel body architecture comprising of modular, actuated leg mechanisms. Overall, CLARI has eight independently actuated degrees of freedom (two per modular leg unit) driven by custom piezoelectric actuators, making it mechanically dextrous. We characterize open-loop robot locomotion at multiple stride frequencies (1-10Hz) using multiple gaits (trot, walk, etc.) in three different fixed body shapes (long, symmetric, wide) and illustrate the robot's capabilities. Finally, we demonstrate preliminary results of CLARI locomoting with a compliant body in open terrain and through a laterally constrained gap, a novel capability for legged robots. Our results represent the first step towards achieving effective cluttered terrain navigation with adaptable compliant robots in real-world environments.

翻译：微型机器人能够进入受限空间，展现出在搜救和高价值资产检查等新型应用中的巨大潜力。身体变形能力进一步增强了这些小型机器人在类似昆虫和软体节肢动物环境的复杂杂乱地形中的可达性。受此概念启发，我们提出了CLARI——一种昆虫尺度、重2.59克的四足机器人，具备身体变形能力，通过有线连接进行供电与控制，并采用层压制造与折纸弹出技术进行组装。为实现多种形状构型下的运动，我们设计了一种由模块化驱动腿部机构组成的新型身体架构。CLARI共有八个独立驱动自由度（每个模块化腿部单元两个），由定制压电致动器驱动，具备高机械灵活性。我们表征了在不同固定身体形状（长形、对称形、宽形）下，使用多种步态（小跑、行走等）在多个步频（1-10赫兹）下的开环机器人运动，并展示了机器人的能力。最后，我们展示了CLARI在开阔地形及通过侧向受限间隙（腿足机器人领域的一项新颖能力）时，以柔性身体移动的初步结果。我们的成果标志着向着在真实环境中使用适应性柔性机器人实现杂乱地形高效导航迈出了第一步。