Buffalo Byte: A Highly Mobile and Autonomous Millirobot Platform

Abstract

The Buffalo Byte is a small, highly mobile and autonomous millirobot platform that can move on non-smooth, natural terrain. Each Buffalo Byte has two silicone treads, with compliant spines that increase traction forces. The silicone treads are driven independently by small DC motors. An individual robot can reach speeds up to <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$235.7 \,\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{/}\mathrm{s}$</tex-math></inline-formula> and drive over rough terrain and inclines up to <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$12.5\deg$</tex-math></inline-formula> . Each Buffalo Byte has an ESP8266EX system on chip (SoC) on-board used for computation and communication over the Wi-Fi. A completely autonomous Buffalo Byte carrying its own power source has a mass of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$11.35 \,\mathrm{g}$</tex-math></inline-formula> with a volumetric footprint of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$28.5 \,\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula> × <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$29.5 \,\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula> × <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$21.4 \,\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula> with an average runtime of 30 minutes. The Buffalo Byte is even capable of closed-loop control on rough terrain using feedback from the on-board inertial measurement unit (IMU).