Typical jumping behavior of a spherical shell obtained from simulation: it jumps from the inverted configuration back to its original shape. Inspired by a simple children's toy, a jumping popper toy, ...

Researchers reveal the physics of jumping shell structures, improving control and agility in soft robots inspired by the mechanics of a simple popper toy. The team meticulously analyzed the jumping ...

Insect-scale robots can squeeze into places their larger counterparts can't, like deep into a collapsed building to search for survivors after an earthquake. However, as they move through the rubble, ...

A DARPA-sponsored initiative to build soft-bodied robots has led to some pretty impressive breakthroughs in robotics research, ranging from being able to access previously unreachable areas to ...

Springtails, small bugs often found crawling through leaf litter and garden soil, are expert jumpers. Inspired by these ...

It’s the metal, plastic, and wires that give the robot its shape and allow it to move around. Engineers in this field design everything from the robot’s arms and legs to its wheels and joints. They ...

A 301 mg soft robot jumps continuously under constant light without batteries or electronics, using snap-through buckling and self-shadowing to create an autonomous feedback loop. (Nanowerk Spotlight) ...