Snapping rods let frog-like robot outrun rigid legs across six terrains

This Tiny Frog-Like Robot Hops, Flips and Swims With Just Elastic Twists

The palm-sized robot turns slow motor twists into explosive hops across rough terrain.

Snapping rods let frog-like robot outrun rigid legs across six terrains

Roboticists at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and the University of Michigan have shown that elastic rods can be bent and twisted to repeatedly snap between shapes, releasing built-up energy that enables small robots to hop, flip and swim.

Frog-Like Robot Uses Snapping Legs to Race Across Tough Terrain

A small frog-like robot can hop across grass, sand and other difficult surfaces by using flexible rods that suddenly snap between shapes. The design could help future miniature robots move more effectively without needing large motors or heavy power systems. Researchers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and the University of Michigan developed the […]

Small Robot Propulsion: Low-Power Twisting Enables Hopping, Swimming

The twisting of bent elastic rods can produce a snapping motion that enables small robots to hop or swim, roboticists at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and the University of Michigan Engineering have demonstrated.