Development of Water Surface Mobile Robot Inspired in Water Striders

-- Optimization of repellant legs necessary to the supporting force and the drag force -

Abstract

In recent years, the movement style of the robot have been active in various places: flying, walking on the land and swimming under the water. However, shallow waters and marshes are present in the nature. In other words, it is necessary to develop a robot with excellent behavioral in such shallow water. In this study, we focused on the water strider which has been living in the surface of the water by using the surface tension of water. By using the micro structured technology and some processing machine, the water mobile robot, was able to support the body by surface tension in the same way as the water strider.