Bionic Design of a Miniature Jumping Robot

In response to the problem of low energy storage density in the structure of existing miniature jumping robots, this study designed a parallel single-degree-of-freedom double six-link jumping robot by imitating the physiological structure and jumping mechanism of wax cicadas. The designed six-link mechanism was first mathematically modeled, and to accommodate the jumping structure of this robot, a six-link mechanism with a smaller cam pushrod stroke was obtained by optimizing the linkage size and position parameters in the model. The dynamics of the robot’s jumping process were then analyzed utilizing the second type of Lagrange equation to determine the joint angles of the robot’s jumping phase. The results were compared with an ADAMS-based jumping simulation to verify the validity of the analysis of the dynamics. The feasibility of the structural design was then validated using ADAMS simulations. Finally, a physical prototype of the jumping robot was produced and tested; the findings revealed that the robot had good jumping performance, was stable in the air, fully discharged 600.2 mJ of energy, and was able to overcome obstacles measuring 220 mm in height and 330 mm in distance. The design of the jumping robot provides a novel approach to improving energy storage density and serves as a foundation for future research on footed jumping robots.