A 2.6-g Untethered Microrobot with Maneuverable Crawling and High Jumping Performance

Abstract

Microrobots with multimodal locomotion offer distinct advantages in adapting to complex environments. However, achieving both untethered and controllable crawling and jumping within a centimeter-scale platform remains a significant challenge. Here, we report a fully untethered microrobot inspired by the jumping mechanism of click beetles. The robot measures 3.3 cm in height, weighs 2.6 g, and combines piezoelectric-driven differential actuation for directional crawling with a compact, electrically triggered catapult mechanism for high-performance jumping. The jumping mechanism, based on a heated fuse release, enables the robot to leap up to 29 times its body height (95 cm), while the isolated catapult design achieves a record-setting jump height of 230 times the body length, outperforming previously reported untethered systems. Under wireless control, the robot demonstrates smooth crawling–jumping–crawling transitions to overcome obstacles in unconstructed terrain. This research advances the design of centimeter-scale microrobots and highlights the potential of integrated multimodal locomotion in untethered microrobots.