Asymmetries-induced nonlinear dynamic behaviors enable versatile modulation strategy for insect-scale robotics
Yanting Gong, Zhongbin Guo, Kaijun Zhang, Dazhe Zhao, Tingxu Lan, Chengyue Lu, Yuan Ma, Junwen Zhong · 2025
Read Asymmetries-induced nonlinear dynamic behaviors enable versatile modulation strategy for insect-scale robotics by Yanting Gong, Zhongbin Guo, Kaijun Zhang, Dazhe Zhao, Tingxu Lan, Chengyue Lu, Yuan Ma, Junwen Zhong (2025) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-12716402.txt.
Description
Yanting Gong and co-authors built, in a 2025 study, an insect-scale robot that does many tricks with a single motor, by leaning on asymmetry. Tiny robots usually need one actuator per motion, which bloats their design. This one bends a hexagonal frame that is lopsided in both shape and mass.
The imbalance breeds nonlinear motion: the same drive signal can crawl the robot forward or backward, flip it upright, or slide it sideways, depending on input settings. A math model links those settings to behavior, guiding tuning. The robot coped with grit surfaces and landed safely after drops through posture shifts. An untethered version worked outdoors. The authors offer asymmetry itself as a design tool, turning a flaw into a gearbox.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Yanting Gong, Zhongbin Guo, Kaijun Zhang, Dazhe Zhao, Tingxu Lan, Chengyue Lu, Yuan Ma, Junwen Zhong |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2025 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 49 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |