Unguitractor apparatus in a mechanical beetle leg

• Main Author: Chng, Shawn Lek Gin
• Other Authors: Hirotaka Sato
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/157359
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The unguitractor apparatus is an energy saving microstructure present within the pretarsus of a beetle’s leg. The presence of this apparatus enables the beetle to expend less energy holding on to a substrate by reducing the amount of force exerted by the muscles to maintain the claw position. The aim of this report is to determine how well this microstructure works when simulated in a robotic beetle leg. A series of physical experiments will be conducted using 3D printed parts to find out the effect of surface roughness on the energy saving effect provided by the unguitractor apparatus. Based on studies conducted, it is expected that the unguitractor apparatus can be successfully applied to an artificial tarsus.