Jumping Jollbot

A robot that jumps like a grasshopper and rolls like a ball has been developed by a Bath University PhD researcher.

The Jollbot can jump over obstacles and roll over terrain, meaning it could be used for space exploration or land survey work.

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. Wheels are a simpler solution to this, but are limited by the size of obstacles they can overcome.

To solve the problem, Rhodri Armour and his colleagues at Bath University’s Centre for Biomimetic and 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 and can roll in any direction, giving it the manoeuvrability of wheels without the problem of overturning or getting stuck in potholes.