Precision Urban Hopper - jumping robot

[Dick Linn]

Excerpt: A couple of months ago, Sandia National Laboratory, in conjunction with Boston Dynamics (they of Big Dog fame) and DARPA, announced the creation of a robot that could jump 25 feet in the air.

Video:

http://www.popsci.com/military-aviat...oot-tall-fence

[Tom I]

I've got one of those... except it doesn't jump as high... okay not at all... okay its a remote controlled car!

Haha VERY interesting video. I'm not only intrigued by how it jumps, but also how it lands. That looks like a hard impact when it lands, that must be one tough little bot!

[EricVanWyk]

I was talking to some Boston Dynamics guys in a bar about this little beasty, it sounds like a LOT of fun to work on.

[BrendanB]

All I can say is: WOW! I sooo want one of those.... (Christmas comes to mind)

[JesseK]

Can it do it again?! That looks like it was loads of fun to make. It'd be funny to see it deploy a parachute at the apex of the jump Or see little green Army Men pop out with their own parachutes. Or have it jump out of a cloud of smoke, or do a flip in mid-air.

[BLAQmx]

Originally Posted by JesseK

It'd be funny to see it deploy a parachute at the apex of the jump :

Or pop out wings and glide away.

[EricVanWyk]

Originally Posted by BLAQmx

Or pop out wings and glide away.

Or jump through a middle school's (open) window, just in time for the teacher to explain "And that! is why you want to know science and math."

[qwertyuiop[]\]

I think that im just going to upgrade all of my 25 foot fences to 30 foot ones

[Chris is me]

That fence was 25 feet? There was a standard size car parked next to it that appeared to be more than half of the height of the fence. I bet it could jump one though.

How does it work? Pneumatic punch into the ground?

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

That fence was 25 feet? There was a standard size car parked next to it that appeared to be more than half of the height of the fence. I bet it could jump one though.

How does it work? Pneumatic punch into the ground?

No, it looks more like an 8-10 foot fence.

[Dan Richardson]

Now why couldn't someone just throw the thing over the fence?

[Tom I]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

How does it work? Pneumatic punch into the ground?

Nahh, I wouldn't think so. From the size of that thing, I'd doubt there'd be enough gas to provide both the power and the speed such a pneumatic system would require.
I'd say some sort of potential energy source, like a spring, drawn back, and quickly released. Semi reminicent to me of 2008's game, Overdrive... Many teams used springs or surgical tubing to provide the potential energy kick to launch the ball over the overpass.