The first robot that can jump like a grasshopper and roll like a ball could play a key role in future space exploration.
The ‘Jollbot’ has been created by Rhodri Armour, a PhD student from the University of Bath. It’s hoped his creation, which can jump over obstacles and roll over smoother terrain, could be used for space exploration or land survey work in the future.
One of the major challenges that face robots designed for space exploration is being able to move over rough terrain. Robots with legs are generally very complex, expensive to build and control, and encounter problems if they fall over. Wheels are a simpler solution to this, but are limited by the size of obstacles they can overcome.
To solve the problem, Rhodri and colleagues in the University’s Center for Biomimetic & Natural Technologies have been looking to nature for inspiration – designing a robot that jumps obstacles in its path like an insect.
You can read much more information on this from the Bath University Press Release.
Related posts:
- Canadian Robot ‘Handyman’ Getting Set to Head to the Front Line in Space
- Robots Become Self-Aware
- World’s First Dynamically Balanced Walking Robot
- Another Step Closer to ‘A Robot in Every Home’
- Karakuri Tea Serving Robot Kit
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
