ArachnoBot — Terrain-Adaptive Robot
Designed and built a terrain-adaptive walking robot with 4-bar linkage mechanism for stable locomotion over uneven surfaces. Rapid prototyping, mechanism design, and public demonstration to 1,000+ visitors. 1st Place, Distinguished Robotics.
Background
ArachnoBot is a terrain-adaptive walking robot built for the University of Illinois Engineering Open House, an annual event where student teams demonstrate engineering projects to the public.
The objective was to design a robot that could walk reliably over uneven surfaces.
Mechanism Design
The leg mechanism uses a 4-bar linkage, which converts rotary input into a walking gait. Each leg traces an oval path that lifts over obstacles and plants on the ground. The geometry of the linkage defines the gait, so the motion is stable without joint-level control or sensors.
A single motor drives the linkage. The tradeoff of this approach is that the gait is fixed — stride length and height cannot be adjusted during operation. For a demonstration robot on uneven terrain, reliability was prioritized over adaptability.
Result
ArachnoBot was demonstrated at Engineering Open House to over 1,000 visitors. The project received 1st Place in Distinguished Robotics at ASME, among 200+ exhibits.