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Grasshopping robots made possible with new, improved latch control

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a latch control system that enables grasshopping robots to perform efficiently on soft substrates. The team discovered that the latch can not only regulate energy output but also mediate energy transfer between the robot and its environment, leading to improved jump performance.

SourceCollege of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateMar 2, 2023

A new bioinspired earthworm robot for future underground explorations

Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia have created a soft robot inspired by earthworms, able to crawl using soft actuators that elongate or squeeze. The prototype demonstrates improved locomotion with a speed of 1.35mm/s and has potential applications in underground exploration, excavation, search and rescue operations.

SourceIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia - IIT·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2023

Ben-Gurion University engineers develop one of the fastest and most efficient amphibious robots

The researchers designed the robot to mimic the movement of flippers in water and centipedes on land, resulting in impressive speeds of 1.5 body lengths per second on land and 0.74 body lengths per second in water. The amphibious robot has potential applications in search and rescue, marine agriculture, and fish feeding.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalBioinspiration & Biomimetics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2023

Click beetle-inspired robots jump using elastic energy

Researchers have developed insect-sized jumping robots capable of navigating tight spaces, with a new study demonstrating two configurations that can successfully jump without manual intervention. The robots use a dynamic buckling cascade process to store and release elastic energy, allowing them to propel themselves upward.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 23, 2023

Microrobot assembly line

A team of researchers developed a new method for 3D-printing microrobots with multiple component modules inside the same microfluidic chip. The 'assembly line' approach allowed for the combination of various modules, such as joints and grippers, into a single device. This innovation may help realize the vision of microsurgery performed...

SourceOsaka University·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 16, 2022

How animal swarms respond to threats

Researchers used microrobots to demonstrate how a swarm of animals can complete an optimum flight response even if individual animals do not notice the threat or they react incorrectly. The study suggests that missing information from individual members can be compensated by other members, which may explain why animals organize themsel...

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalNew Journal of Physics·DateMar 8, 2022

A robotic fish tail and an elegant math ratio could inform the design of next- generation underwater drones

University of Virginia researchers design a simple way to implement a tunable stiffness strategy in robots, enabling efficient swimming at varying speeds. The approach, inspired by the natural adaptability of fish, uses a programmable artificial tendon to adjust tail stiffness in real-time.

SourceUniversity of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 11, 2021