Looking like some sort of plastic water pump instead of a robot, this contraption put together by the bright boys of The Robotics and Automation Lab of Michigan State University performs like a hyperactive grasshopper as it jumps in the air. The “Bio-inspired Miniature Steerable Jumping Robot” supposedly can leap up to 36 inches, but as the video on Youtube shows, it’s more like 38 inches. It also has the ability to steer itself up using a kickstand after a fall. Now on its third upgrade, this robot is envisioned for use in surveillance, search-and-rescue operations, and environmental monitoring, among many other possibilities. Powered by a pager motor and at a mere 55 grams, it is extremely power-efficient, requiring a single charge for every 285 jumps it makes.
Source: Tiny robot can jump 3 feet high, fall, pick itself up again
[Images: Spectrum.ieee.org]