Design, fabrication and testing of a miniature wall climbing robot using smart robotic feet

Abstract

A miniature wall climbing robot equipped with two smart robotic feet (SRF) is developed and tested. It is controlled autonomously by a PIC16F876 microcontroller and a 6 volt power supply onboard. Each SRF contains a suction cup with a diameter of 40 mm, a vacuum pump, a pressure sensor, and a micro valve. The robot’s motion is driven by two servo motors which are electronically linked and synchronized. In addition to climbing vertical walls, it is designed to transition between a floor and a wall, as well as change direction while walking on a surface. Currently, the robot can walk on surfaces ranging from horizontal to an uphill angle of 70 degrees.