Jumping Robotic Insect Can Run Across Water

Scientists have created a robot that mimics the same movements as an actual insect. Researchers have created a mechanical insect that can launch itself off of the water's surface.

Many animals are able to walk on water. Small creatures use the water's surface tension in order to maneuver themselves around. One of the more complex movements, jumping on water, is achieved by a species of insects called water striders. These insects not only jump, though, but also skim along the water's surface.

In this latest study, researchers unveiled a novel robot insect that can jump off of water's surface.

"Water's surface needs to be pressed at the right speed for an adequate amount of time, up to a certain depth, in order to achieve jumping," said Kyu Jin Cho, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The water strider is capable of doing all these things flawlessly."

The water strider, whose legs have slightly curved tips, employs a rotational leg movement to aid its takeoff from the water's surface. It took several attempts for the researchers to fully understand this movement but once they did, they managed to create a robotic prototype.

The robotic insect can exert up to 16 times its own body weight on the water's surface without breaking through, and can do so without complicated controls. For the robotic insect to jump off the water, it uses a lightweight catapult mechanism coupled with limited thrust to propel itself off the water without breaking the water's surface.

"The resulting robotic insect can achieve the same momentum and height that could be generated during a rapid jump on firm ground-but instead can do so on water-by spreading out the jumping thrust over a longer amount of time and in sustaining prolonged contact with the water's surface," said Robert Wood, one of the researchers, in a news release.

The findings are published in the journal Science.

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