In this paper, the operation principles of a traveling wave piezoelectric beam robot are presented. A prototype consisting of an aluminum beam structure, with two non-collocated piezoelectric patches bonded on its surface, was fabricated and tested to demonstrate the generation of a traveling wave on the beam based on the one mode excitation and the two mode excitation operation principles for propulsion. A numerical model was developed and used to study and optimize the generated motion of the piezoelectric beam robot. Experimental characterization of the robot for the two types of operation has been carried out, a comparison between them is made and results are given in this paper.

The unusual ability of geckos to climb vertical walls underlies a unique combination of a hierarchical structural design and a stiffer material composition. While a dense array of microscopic hierarchical structures enables the gecko toe pads to adhere to various surfaces, a stiffer material (β-keratin) composition enables them to maintain reliable adhesion over innumerable cycles. This unique strategy has been seldom implemented in engineered dry adhesives because fabrication of high-aspect-ratio hierarchical structures using a stiffer polymer is challenging. Herein, we report the fabrication of high-aspect-ratio hierarchical arrays on flexible polycarbonate sheets (stiffness comparable to that of β-keratin) by a sacrificial-layer-mediated nanoimprinting technique. Dry-adhesive films comprising the hierarchical arrays showed a formidable shear adhesion of 11.91 ± 0.43 N/cm. Cyclic adhesion tests also showed that the shear adhesion of the adhesive films reduced by only about 20% after 50 cycles and remained nearly constant until about 200 cycles. Most importantly, the high-aspect-ratio hierarchical arrays were integrated onto the feet of a miniature robot and the locomotion on a 30° inclined surface was demonstrated.

In this paper, a concept design of a novel Traveling Wave Driven Piezoelectric Plate Robot (TWDPPR) for planar motion is presented. The TWDPPR consists of an aluminium plate structure, with four non-collocated piezoelectric patches bonded on its surface. A two dimensions modeling of noncollocated piezoelectric patches bonded on thin structures developed and validated in previous work is used in this paper to model the TWDPPR based on the "two modes excitation" method for propulsion. A preliminary design is presented and the model is then used to verify the generation of the 2D traveling wave on the plate for planar motion. A prototype is fabricated and a forward, backward, & steering motions are experimentally achieved. An experimental characterization of the TWDPPR is given in this paper.