A team of engineers at Singapore University of Technology and Design has created a truly unique robot—one that can roll around like a drum, then take off and fly like a spinning wheel. In their paper published in The International Journal of Robotics Research, the group describes their goals in developing the robot and how they were achieved, along with a description of how it works.
The aim of the team was to create a small, lightweight robot with two modes of transport—terrestrial locomotion and rotational aerial flight. They achieved both of these goals by designing a frame that can be used for both types of motion, but in different ways.
The robot, about the size of a basketball, is mostly a wire frame in the shape of a snare drum. Inside, it has a blade-shaped wing that looks a lot like the kind of helicopter maple seeds that spin as they fall to the ground—it provides lift when the robot spins. The team placed intersecting wires across the sides to keep the robot from getting stuck if it turned on its side.
Also inside are two actuators and two very small rotors that serve as thrusters, pushing the robot to roll along the ground or through the air while in flight, and two very small circuit boards and a small battery. The whole thing weighs just 124g.
Another of its achievements is providing both aerial and terrestrial abilities using very little energy, though its terrestrial mode is still considerably more efficient. Most multi-mode robots are only able to be energy efficient in one of their modes. The research team has named their robot Aerial and Terrestrial mode Operating Mono-wing (ATOM) and notes that it achieves all of its feats using just two actuators.
The robot is able to roll straight ahead on a wide variety of surfaces, using its frame as a wheel, and to turn because it has two rotors. It is also capable of self-righting itself. To switch to flight mode, the robot tips itself just enough to allow it to spin its entire frame. Once in the air, it becomes a horizontal spinning wheel with a high degree of control.
More information:
Hitesh Bhardwaj et al, ATOM: Design and development of a novel two-actuator hybrid land-air robot, The International Journal of Robotics Research (2025). DOI: 10.1177/02783649251344968
© 2025 Science X Network
Citation:
Two-actuator robot combines efficient ground rolling and spinning flight in one design (2025, June 17)
retrieved 17 June 2025
from https://techxplore.com/news/2025-06-actuator-robot-combines-efficient-ground.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
