Locomotion Control Strategy Design and Simulation of Parallel-Legged Insect-Scale Micro Crawling Robot

High nonlinearity and limited computational resources create persistent challenges for achieving autonomous, stable, and accurate locomotion in insect-scale crawling robots, hindering their practical deployment. In this study, we build the mathematical models of the insect-scale micro crawling robot named PLioBot and propose a locomotion control strategy that eliminates the need for gait transitions. The locomotion transformation of the PLioBot prototype, from driving inputs to mechanical motion outputs, is decomposed into multiple motion processes. This study analyzes the theoretical models underlying these motion processes and develops the locomotion simulation model for the PLioBot based on the mathematical models and the multibody dynamics simulation tool. The locomotion control strategy with low computational requirements is designed based on a closed-loop PID controller, which regulates the robot’s locomotion by independently adjusting the step lengths of its left and right legs. The locomotion co-simulation system is established to validate the control strategy. The simulation results confirm that this control strategy enables the PLioBot to perform straight-line locomotion and turning without requiring any gait transition.