Abstract: The load capacity and the environmental adaptation of insect-scale robots are important for their practical application. In this study, a piezoelectric driven Parallel-Legged Insect-scale Modular Robot (PLimBot) is developed. The bot features sub-gram weight (0.96 g) and insect-scale dimensions (3.5(L)?×?2.5(W)?×?2.7(H) cm) with a high chassis configuration. PLimBot can achieve a maximum velocity of 3.3 BL/s without load, and 0.3 BL/s with a 10 g on-board load (>?10 times body weight). By leveraging its geometric configuration, the bot can adapt to multi-type obstacles in constrained environment, pass sharp turns with loads (1 g), and navigate through intricate mazes. PLimBot can climb a 20° slope at 0.57 BL/s, navigate through gravel surfaces, multi-medias, and shoals measuring up to 2 cm in height (0.74 BH). We anticipate the PLimBot can provide a new method for the design, fabrication, analyse, and benchmarking of insect-scale micro-robots.

Key words: Insect-scale robot')">Insect-scale robot, Parallel-legged robot, Robotic origami, Piezoelectric actuator