Robot That Jumps Like A Grasshopper And Rolls Like A Ball Created For Space Exploration

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 Centre for Biomimetic & Natural Technologies have been looking 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 kilogramme, meaning it’s not damaged when landing after jumping and is therefore less expensive than conventional exploration robots.Mr Armour explained:"Others in the past have made robots that jump and robots that roll; but we’ve made the first robot that can do both.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081204074810.htm

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