Water Jumping Robots

Scientists have developed a tiny robot that can jump on water’s surface.

17:58 02 August 2015

A team of South Korean and American scientists have developed a tiny robot designed based on the water strider insect. It can jump from water’s surface, pushing off without breaking the surface. It takes off with a downward force that does not exceed the surface tension of water – the force that “glues” surface water molecules together.

 

"To explore [their] amazing semi-aquatic motility, we collected [the insects] and recorded them jumping on water in the laboratory with high-speed cameras," the scientists said.

 

"[These imaging experiments] revealed that the insect rises upward while pushing the water surface downward and closing four of its legs inward."

 

Each robot is made of layers of thin materials folded into a vee-shape and come with a spring, which is released as they are made to jump. In the process, they drag the ends of the robot’s body and its 5cm insect-like legs downward with gradually increasing force to limit the water surface will withstand. They also rotate their legs inward "to maximise the interaction time between the legs and the water".