A Bath University student has designed a robot that jumps like a
grasshopper and rolls like a ball.
And for anyone wondering what use such skills could be put to,
the university says they could play a key role in future space
exploration.
The
"Jollbot"
has been created by PhD student Rhodri Armour, and can jump over
obstacles and roll over smoother terrain.
One of the major challenges that faces 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. Wheeled
models are limited by the size of obstacles they can overcome.
To solve the problem, Armour and colleagues in the
University's
Centre for Biomimetic & Natural Technologies have looked to
nature for inspiration, designing a robot that jumps obstacles in
its path like an insect.
The 'Jollbot' is shaped like a spherical cage which can roll in
any direction, giving it the manoeuvrability of wheels without the
problem of overturning or getting stuck in potholes.
The robot is also flexible and small, weighing less than a
kilogram, meaning it is not damaged when landing after jumping, and
is therefore less expensive than conventional exploration
robots.
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