Robotic experts are never stop to make the better innovation
design. This year, the scientist and researchers from the Laboratory of
Intelligent Systems at EPFL are designed and presented a grasshopper inspired
jumping robot at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
May 21 2012 in Pasadena, California. The robot weight is just 7
grams, and can jump 1.4 meters. It’s mean that this micro robot is able to jump
more than 27 times of its body and more weight than any existing jumping robot
that have been created.
This tiny jumping robots could be equipped with solar cells to recharge
between jumps and deployed in swarms for extended exploration of remote areas
on Earth or on other planets. It indicates that this robot could do the earth
and planets explorations, because it will be more effective than using the
wheeled robot or the legged robot.
courtesy image of www.sciencedaily.com
These jumpers could be fitted out with tiny sensors to explore rough,
inaccessible terrain or to aid in search and rescue operations. "This
biomimetic form of jumping is unique because it allows micro-robots to travel
over many types of rough terrain where no other walking or wheeled robot could
go," explains EPFL Professor Dario Floreano, the leader of this research robotic project.
Small jumping animals such as fleas, locusts, grasshoppers and frogs use
elastic storage mechanisms to slowly charge and quickly release their jumping
energy. In this way, they can achieve very powerful jumps and very high
accelerations. The principles of that animal’s legs works is used on the making
of this robot work systems. This is the reason why this robot can jump up to 27 times of it's body size.
The jumping robot prototype which presented is use the exact same principle,
charging two torsion springs via a small 0.6-gram pager motor and a cam. In
order to be able to optimize the jumping performance, the legs can be adjusted
for jumping force, takeoff angle and force profile during the acceleration
phase. The tiny battery on board allows it to make up to 320 jumps at intervals
of 3 seconds. Since it improved with better batteries or solar cell, it
estimated can be jump more than 3000 jumps until it’s power going low. It
enough to have some earth scientist projects completely done, even to complete the
space planet research project.
This micro robot prototype have presented by Mirko Kovac May 21 in Pasadena, California during the ICRA's
"Dynamic Walking" Session. Kovac also demonstrated the robot in the
"robot zoo" at the 4th International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of
Animals and Machines in Cleveland,
OH on June 5, 2008.
The LIS, directed by Professor Dario Floreano, focuses on the development of
robotic systems and artificial intelligence methods inspired by biological
principles of animal movement and animal body parts work. It means that the
animals still inspired the robotic experts to make the innovation robot
design.
