TerraSkipper: A Centimeter-Scale Robot for Multi-Terrain Skipping and Crawling

TL;DR

TerraSkipper is a bio-inspired, centimeter-scale robot capable of multi-terrain locomotion, combining impulsive skipping and crawling, modeled after mudskippers, with experimental validation across various substrates.

Contribution

This work introduces a novel multi-terrain robot inspired by mudskippers, featuring impulsive tail-driven skipping and fin-based crawling, with comprehensive modeling and real-world testing.

Findings

Skipping outperforms crawling on viscous and granular media in velocity.

Optimal tail length of 25mm maximizes propulsive force (up to 6N).

Outdoor tests confirm combined locomotion extends operational range.

Abstract

Mudskippers are unique amphibious fish capable of locomotion in diverse environments, including terrestrial surfaces, aquatic habitats, and highly viscous substrates such as mud. This versatile locomotion is largely enabled by their powerful tail, which stores and rapidly releases energy to produce impulsive jumps. Inspired by this biological mechanism, we present the design and development of a multi-terrain centimeter-scale skipping and crawling robot. The robot is predominantly 3D printed and features onboard sensing, computation, and power. It is equipped with two side fins for crawling, each integrated with a hall effect sensor for gait control, while a rotary springtail driven by a 10mm planetary gear motor enables continuous impulsive skipping across a range of substrates to achieve multi-terrain locomotion. We modeled and experimentally characterized the tail, identifying an optimal length of 25mm that maximizes the mean propulsive force (4N, peaks up to 6N) for forward motion. In addition, we evaluated skipping on substrates where fin based crawling alone fails, and varied the moisture content of uniform sand and bentonite clay powder to compare skipping with crawling. Skipping consistently produced higher mean velocities than crawling, particularly on viscous and granular media. Finally, outdoor tests on grass, loose sand, and hard ground confirmed that combining skipping on entangling and granular terrain with crawling on firm ground extends the operational range of the robot in real-world environments.