ACM TechNews

Jumping Robot Makes Light Work of Stairs

New Scientist (07/24/08) Marks, Paul

A new robot, ScoutRobot, has the ability to jump up stairs. Developed by Dong Hwan Kim and colleagues at the Seoul National University of Technology in South Korea, ScoutRobot could lead to other wheeled robots capable of leaping onto or over obstacles. Jumping robots may even be better at overcoming vertical obstacles than track robots, some of which can already climb stairs but do so at a significantly slower pace. Previous attempts to develop jumping, wheeled robots typically involved using a motor to compress a spring before releasing it against the ground, which would send the robot upwards and forwards. However, the combined weight of the jumping mechanism caused the robots to land heavily and damage delicate components. Kim and his team developed an ultra-lightweight version of a pneumatic ram. Powered by compressed air stored in two-liter plastic bottles, the ram is fired to launch the robot to the required height. To determine how much force is needed, an onboard processor calculates how fast the robot is traveling, how far it is to the obstacle, and the obstacle's height. The processor then calculates the jump and sends a signal to a solenoid valve that sends high-pressure air into the ram. Upon landing, the robot tilts slightly forward, and a small motor-powered arm rights the robot.

http://technology.newscientist.com/article/
mg19926666.400-jumping-robot-makes-light-work-of-stairs.html

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