Using steel springs, carbon rods, and 3D printed plastic pieces, this robot weighs less than an ounce and is 4 inches long. The initial idea of drawing from the locust’s swarming capabilities inspired the team to create a robot that runs off a motor that generates and stores mechanical energy and is powered by a lithium battery. The stored mechanical energy is what’s behind the robot’s ability to spring high into the air, since its legs are patterned after the locust itself. The robot’s lead designer, Professor Ayali, explains:
“The locust being a large insect that has wonderful jumping performance had offered itself as wonderful inspiration for this specific idea of a jumping…miniature jumping robot… What you do with it is whatever is needed whenever you want to engage any kind of robotic system with no human interference.”
Even more impressive is the contention that the locust robot, named TAUB, can jump up to 1,000 times on one battery. Hmmm: are you starting to wonder where you can get one of these for yourself?
Well, as luck would have it, Professor Ayali told Reuters that mass production of the robot would not be so difficult due to its cheap parts and easy to manufacture design. Ayali predicted that the robots could sell for about $100 USD, which doesn’t seem like much for a locust-inspired robot that can jump 11.5 feet 1,000 times on one battery!
For now, it seems like the team is off to an incredible start with TAUB: a robot with 3D printed plastic parts capable of implementing the mechanisms of swarming capabilities, via a study of the locust’s own instincts, in robotic systems. Discuss this story in the 3D Printed Locust Bot forum on 3DPB.com