Introduction

Engineers were inspired by the unique characteristics of insects to build robots. For instance, different insects have different structures of their legs that best fit to the types of habitat they live in. Like insects, robots are built to mimic this physical structure to allow them to move and give access to places that are dangerous for humans such as rescue work after a nuclear explosion.

In this kit, you will learn how to build an insect robot using simple materials. The main component of this robot is the vibration motor but the materials and design of the legs will dictate its powerful movement. The challenge is to make this tiny six-legged robot mobile that can travel long distances, can withstand rough terrain and can move through two rocks or go around obstacles.

You can be creative! You may add other features such as wings, eyes, antennae and exoskeleton.

Are you excited to build this interesting project? So let’s get started and follow the instructions below.

Building Instructions

1. Take the clothes peg and put the mini vibration motor on the top of the clamping edge. Drag the wires out from the motor so that it will reach to the opposite side of the peg.

Note: The motor has two terminals. The red wire is the positive terminal while the blue wire is the negative terminal.

2. Glue LEDs on each side of the peg but the head should be slightly above the motor to give your insect a pair of antennae. Position the LEDs in such a way that both the same legs are facing in the same direction.

LEDs have two terminals, the anode and the cathode. The anode is positive while the cathode is negative. The anode is also longer than the cathode.

3. Using the stripped wire, join both the anode and both the cathode terminals of the LEDs.

4. Connect the positive terminal of the motor to the anode junction of the LED then the negative terminal of the motor to the cathode junction of the LED.

5. Attach the red wire to the positive terminal of the battery and the black wire to the negative terminal with a piece of tape.

6. Glue the connected battery onto the peg between its rear edges.

7. Connect the battery to the motor. Start by connecting both ends of the negative wires.

8. Take another red wire and connect it to the positive side of the motor. Now, you can see an open path between the motor and the battery.

9. Using some paper clips, design the legs of the insect. Remember that insects have 3 pairs of legs.

10. Test your project by connecting the two red wires between the battery and the motor. This will serve as a switch. You may add a DIY switch between the two red wires.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the project.

Level Up!

Students can use other materials for the insect's body and can add important features like compound eyes, long antennae, a pair of wings and exoskeleton.

Students can also design different types of legs and test each legs on how much distance it will travel in 1 minute. To know more about the different types of insect's legs and their possible movements, read here.