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Fleas teach robots how to jump

Posted Jul 08, 2007 at 05:33AM by Henry L. Listed in: Engineering Tags: University of Bath
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Jollbot (Left) and Glumper (Right), credit to Armour, et al. - Image 1


According to a recent article published in the "Bioinspiration & Biomimetics" journal, designers from the University of Bath have introduced two new robot designs, both of which are made specifically for jumping. The designs, named Jollbot and Glumper, borrow heavily from animals such as fleas, grasshoppers, and other naturally jumpy creatures in the hopes that nature's mechanics would unlock the secrets to a better jump and provide the groundwork for future generations of space robots.

Both robots follow their natural models quite closely. Jollbot's structure which is made up of "semi-circular hoop springs" is designed to mimic the way fleas, dogs, and locusts store energy in order to make a jump. Jollbot is currently able to jump around two-thirds of its height.

Glumper, on the other hand, is a bit more complex. It has four "legs" sporting a spring-like "knee" in order to achieve the jump. Attached to the legs are membranes which serve as wings for the robot to glide back to earth after the jump. Glumper's jumping record puts it somewhere between the domestic cat and the antelope.

Robotics has come a long way by mimicking how organic beings move. From humans to animals, robots have come in all shapes and sizes to mimic life. Today's records are nowhere near the range of the mighty flea which could jump a hundred times its body length, but its a start.

[Via Physorg.com] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!

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