Miniature robots are important tools for investigation and inspection in small spaces. They are able to maneuver around obstacles, a capability that larger robots do not always possess. This allows them to inspect machinery or search rubble in disaster situations where other robots cannot reach. However, due to their size limitations, it is difficult to manufacture miniature robots that can operate autonomously and carry their own power source.

Mechanical engineering associate professor Aaron Johnson and mechanical engineering professor Sarah Bergbreiter, along with their research team, have completely revolutionized this field by building "Mugatu," the first manipulable bipedal robot that contains only a single motor. Mugatu is also self-contained and self-starting, and is capable of controlling left, right, and forward movements. The design utilizes two rigid bodies and an actuator, creating a simple walking mechanism that can achieve complex motions of other robots.

"The initial goal of this project was to simplify the walking mechanism of the robot as much as possible," said lead author and recent graduate with a master's and bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, James Kyle. "Once we understood how scaling affects motion, it became useful for acquiring existing things and scaling them up or down to accomplish tasks such as navigating through smaller pipes or carrying heavier loads."

Another team member, undergraduate mechanical engineering student Kendall Hart, stated, "Before I entered the lab, my knowledge of MATLAB (a programming and numerical computing platform) was quite vague, but working on this project allowed me to apply what I learned in the classroom. There were many debugging issues when implementing the current sensor, but now I feel more confident in debugging without a mentor."

The goal of this team is to eventually shrink these robots to the size of LEGO bricks, hence the nickname "LEGO Project." Hart said, "It will take some time because when you start scaling down, everything mechanical changes." "But what makes this project so special and impactful to the community is that it has never been seen before." This simplified walking mechanism, combined with its single degree of freedom, is a promising step towards efficient miniature robots.