Vibration-induced frequency-controllable bidirectional locomotion for assembly and microrobotic applications

  • Authors:
  • Zhenwen Ding;Babak Ziaie

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN;School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

  • Venue:
  • IEEE Transactions on Robotics
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

This paper describes vibration-induced bidirectional locomotion of a milliscale cylindrical body. Using a laterally vibrating platform, we achieved a frequency-controlled bidirectional movement by attaching two polydimethylsiloxane cylindrical rods with microscale ratchet-shaped legs of different densities facing in opposite directions. The polymeric body (2 × 2 × 20 mm3) was placed on a glass slide covered by thin lubricating oil and vibrated at a constant amplitude of 0.2 mm. The micromobile composite cylinder changed its direction of motion at a cross-over frequency of 156 Hz. The cross-over phenomena is due to the difference between static and kinetic friction coefficients of the two opposing parts.