Robot jumps on water

Inspired by the movements of the calf, scientists in Canada built tiny robots capable of surfing and jumping on the water.

Although it weighs 1,000 times more than lighter pens, the University's robots
Waterloo jumped to a height of 14cm and jumped to 35cm. (Photo: engadget.com)

The robot of the University of Waterloo in Canada is made of nickel waterproofing foam. With two legs jumping and three legs, it can jump to a height of 14cm and jump 35cm - more than twice its length. It surfs on the water with a speed of nearly 6km / h. Its volume is about 1,000 times the size of a snout, Engadget reported.

The robotic team claims to be able to jump to help their tiny machine avoid obstacles on the water during reconnaissance, rescue and other tasks.

"Our small robots can travel in rivers, lakes, oceans for water quality monitoring or intelligence gathering," said Qinmin Pan, lead researcher.

Pan acknowledges that their biggest challenge in machine-building is the dance. When the robot pushes its feet down to jump, its legs often sink into the water. But thanks to that challenge, Pan's team has found the physical mechanisms and materials suitable for making robots move on water.