RoBeetle 2020 — 88 mg methanol-catalytic crawling microrobot

quantities

• empty_mass88 mgmeasured@yang2020robeetle
• fueled_mass183 mgmeasured@yang2020robeetle
• fuel_mass~95 mgmeasured@yang2020robeetle
• length~20 mmreported@ieee2020robeetle
• niti_wire_diameter50.8 µmmeasured@yang2020robeetle
• max_payload~2.6 × empty massmeasured@yang2020robeetle
• stride~1.2 mmreported@ieee2020robeetle
• tank_volume~120 µlreported@yang2020robeetle

relations

• demonstrates methanol-catalytic-combustion-on-pt

topics

• micro-robotics Micro-robotics

sources

• yang2020robeetle — primary source
• ieee2020robeetle — secondary; check SMA clause against primary
• usc2020robeetle — institutional note

json

{
  "slug": "2020-robeetle-catalytic-muscle",
  "href": "/entries/2020-robeetle-catalytic-muscle",
  "api": "/api/v1/entries/2020-robeetle-catalytic-muscle",
  "title": "RoBeetle 2020 — 88 mg methanol-catalytic crawling microrobot",
  "type": "device",
  "status": "active",
  "certainty": "measured",
  "claim": "RoBeetle is an insect-scale crawler (empty mass 88 mg) that instantiates methanol catalytic combustion on Pt coupled to a Pt-coated NiTi wire actuator. Contraction drives forelegs and closes the fuel-tank lid. measured [@yang2020robeetle]",
  "mechanism": "1. Energy store: onboard liquid methanol tank (~120 µl class); ambient evaporation feeds vapor through dorsal ports. reported [@yang2020robeetle]\n2. Actuator: NiTi SMA wire diameter 50.8 µm with platinum powder coating as catalyst surface. measured [@yang2020robeetle]\n3. Heat from catalytic combustion drives martensite→austenite contraction (As 87–99 °C). measured [@yang2020robeetle]\n4. Transmission: contraction displaces a leaf spring / linkage to the forelegs and simultaneously closes the tank lid, modulating further vapor delivery. reported [@yang2020robeetle]\n5. Reset: cooling restores wire length via return spring; lid reopens; cycle repeats. reported [@yang2020robeetle]\n6. Locomotion: two-anchor crawl with anisotropic friction. reported [@yang2020robeetle]\n7. Mass budget: empty ≈ 88 mg; fueled ≈ 183 mg; fuel ≈ 95 mg. Length ≈ 20 mm. measured/reported [@yang2020robeetle] [@ieee2020robeetle]\n8. Payload: up to ~2.6× empty mass reported. Stride ~1.2 mm. measured/reported [@yang2020robeetle] [@ieee2020robeetle]\n9. No onboard electronics in the demonstrated crawler; control is thermo-mechanical via the catalytic/SMA coupling. reported [@yang2020robeetle]\n10. This device demonstrates methanol-catalytic-combustion-on-pt; it is not the principle itself.",
  "quantities": [
    {
      "name": "empty_mass",
      "unit": "mg",
      "value": "88",
      "source": "yang2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "measured"
    },
    {
      "name": "fueled_mass",
      "unit": "mg",
      "value": "183",
      "source": "yang2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "measured"
    },
    {
      "name": "fuel_mass",
      "unit": "mg",
      "value": "~95",
      "source": "yang2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "measured"
    },
    {
      "name": "length",
      "unit": "mm",
      "value": "~20",
      "source": "ieee2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "reported"
    },
    {
      "name": "niti_wire_diameter",
      "unit": "µm",
      "value": "50.8",
      "source": "yang2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "measured"
    },
    {
      "name": "max_payload",
      "unit": "× empty mass",
      "value": "~2.6",
      "source": "yang2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "measured"
    },
    {
      "name": "stride",
      "unit": "mm",
      "value": "~1.2",
      "source": "ieee2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "reported"
    },
    {
      "name": "tank_volume",
      "unit": "µl",
      "value": "~120",
      "source": "yang2020robeetle",
      "certainty": "reported"
    }
  ],
  "limits": "Chemical→work efficiency ~0.48%. Cycle limited by evaporation and catalyst fouling. Methanol toxic. Wire ≈ 90–100 °C. No onboard electronics. Secondary IEEE summary may invert SMA heating clause relative to yang2020robeetle — prefer primary.",
  "inventor_note": "",
  "sources": [
    {
      "key": "yang2020robeetle",
      "note": "primary source"
    },
    {
      "key": "ieee2020robeetle",
      "note": "secondary; check SMA clause against primary"
    },
    {
      "key": "usc2020robeetle",
      "note": "institutional note"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    "methanol-catalytic-combustion-on-pt"
  ],
  "relations": [
    {
      "slug": "methanol-catalytic-combustion-on-pt",
      "rel": "demonstrates"
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    {
      "id": "micro-robotics",
      "title": "Micro-robotics"
    }
  ],
  "created_at": "2026-10-01T18:51:07.042Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T18:51:07.176Z"
}