| Abstract Scope |
In this talk, I will share how tiny ripple bugs conquer fast-moving streams by deploying specialized middle-leg fans with a flat-ribbon architecture. We discover that the fan’s directional stiffness enables millisecond, passive elastocapillary morphing, independent of muscle input. Inspired by this design, we engineered a 1 mg elastocapillary fan and integrated into an insect-scale robot. Tests with both insects and robots show that self-morphing fans improve thrust, braking, and maneuverability. These results connect fan microstructure to controlled interfacial propulsion and outline design principles for compact, elastocapillary actuators in agile aquatic microrobots. |