Tiny robot can precisely control how high it jumps
Engineers have created DirectHop, a roughly 1-gram robot that can perform multiple hops in sequence and jump high enough to clear a standard stair step. As our skies increasingly crowd with buzzing, hovering, flitting drones, spare a thought for the humble hopping robot. Hopping, a popular form of locomotion in the insect and amphibian worlds, is nearly two orders of magnitude more…
Engineers have developed a tiny robot called DirectHop that can precisely control its jump height. The 1-gram robot can perform multiple jumps in sequence and leap over standard stair steps. As drones become more prevalent, hopping robots offer a more energy-efficient alternative. Unlike insects and amphibians that hop, drones constantly expend energy to stay aloft.
DirectHop could be used for tasks like gas leak detection, farming, or even exploring other planets. The robot uses a compact electric motor and three folding legs to jump to a specified height with centimeter accuracy. After landing, it self-rights and is ready for another jump. The team overcame challenges like varying jump length, self-righting, and reloading for multiple hops with a novel design.
While the current prototype requires external power and lacks steering capabilities, researchers aim to develop an autonomous version capable of stair climbing. At a cost of around $10 per bot, DirectHop could be used in large numbers for various applications, providing a cost-effective solution where large, expensive robots would be impractical.
Written by urgent.news from Futurity's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
