Mmastodon TechnologyTechnology first seen 13 h ago, last 2 min ago, peak #1

Twisting rod gives tiny robot frog its powerful hop

Original: 🐸 NEW: Engineers at the University of # Michigan and # UCLA found that twisting a coiled elastic rod stores # energy tha

Engineers at the University of Michigan and UCLA have built a palm-sized frog robot weighing under 100 grams that hops three body lengths per second across wood and other terrain. The design stores energy by twisting coiled elastic rods, which release in a sudden snap to power each jump, a mechanism researchers say could inspire agile jumping machines.

Why now: The novel twist-based energy storage and impressive hopping performance of a lightweight robot is drawing attention in robotics circles.

University of MichiganUCLA

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Rank over time, top of the chart is #1. 32 snapshots from 13 h ago to 2 min ago.

Evidence

• 🐸 NEW: Engineers at the University of # Michigan and # UCLA found that twisting a coiled elastic rod stores # energy that releases in a sudden snap. Their palm-sized frog robot, weighing less than 100 g, uses two snapping rods to hop three body lengths per second across wood,… · tksst@fediscience.org · 12

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