Design of a Hexapod Robot Based on Insects

Biomimicry studies the nature´s designs and processes in order to learn from them and then emulate them. This work takes this concept to propose a mechanical/structural design for a hexapod robot and also, to propose some suggestions for its construction and control, based on the anatomy and biomechanic characteristics of the insects, whose great motor stability is a very desirable quality in exploration robots. Once these features were taken into account, it was possible to design a robot easy to assemble and to manufacture, further it was made a kinematic and dynamic model which was able to predict accurately the robot legs behavior, achieving a highly precise control and evenly, a correct selection of actuators and materials for its construction. Finally, a functional prototype of the robot was built demonstrating the viability of the proposed models by this work.