This tiny robot weighs less than a tennis ball
This tiny robot weighs less than a tennis ball

and can jump higher than anything in the world.
and can jump higher than anything in the world.

In the competitive world of jumping robots,
In the competitive world of jumping robots,

the previous record was 3.7 meters,
the previous record was 3.7 meters,

enough to leap a single-story building.
enough to leap a single-story building.

This jumper can reach 31 meters,
This jumper can reach 31 meters,

higher than a 10-story building.
higher than a 10-story building.

It could jump all the way from
It could jump all the way from

the Statue of Liberty's feet up to eye level.
the Statue of Liberty's feet up to eye level.

For something to count as a jump,
For something to count as a jump,

it must satisfy two criteria.
it must satisfy two criteria.

First, motion must be created by pushing off the ground,
First, motion must be created by pushing off the ground,

so, a quad-copter doesn't count
so, a quad-copter doesn't count

because it pushes off the air.
because it pushes off the air.

And second, no mass can be lost,
And second, no mass can be lost,

so, rockets constantly ejecting burnt fuel are not jumping,
so, rockets constantly ejecting burnt fuel are not jumping,

and neither is an arrow launched from a bow.
and neither is an arrow launched from a bow.

The bow would have to come with the arrow
The bow would have to come with the arrow

for it to count as a jump.
for it to count as a jump.

Many animals jump,
Many animals jump,

from sand fleas to grass hoppers to kangaroos
from sand fleas to grass hoppers to kangaroos

and they launch their bodies into the air
and they launch their bodies into the air

with a single stroke of their muscles.
with a single stroke of their muscles.

The amount of energy delivered in that single stroke
The amount of energy delivered in that single stroke

determines the jump height.
determines the jump height.

So if you wanna jump higher,
So if you wanna jump higher,

you have to maximize the strength of the muscle.
you have to maximize the strength of the muscle.

The best jumper in the animal kingdom is
The best jumper in the animal kingdom is

the Galago or Bush baby.
the Galago or Bush baby.

And that's because 30% of their entire muscle mass
And that's because 30% of their entire muscle mass

is dedicated to jumping.
is dedicated to jumping.

This allows the squirrel-sized primate
This allows the squirrel-sized primate

to jump over two meters from a standstill.
to jump over two meters from a standstill.

It has like very small arms and upper body
It has like very small arms and upper body

and it's just like, huge jumping legs.
and it's just like, huge jumping legs.

It doesn't have better muscles or anything,
It doesn't have better muscles or anything,

it just has more of them.
it just has more of them.

- There are some clever jumping toys.
- There are some clever jumping toys.

(laughs)
(laughs)

- I used to play with these poppers as a kid
- I used to play with these poppers as a kid

and when you deform a popper,
and when you deform a popper,

you store energy in its deformed shape.
you store energy in its deformed shape.

Effectively it becomes a spring
Effectively it becomes a spring

and then just like an animal in one stroke
and then just like an animal in one stroke

it applies a large force to the ground
it applies a large force to the ground

launching itself into the air.
launching itself into the air.

(whimsical music)
(whimsical music)

All elastic jumpers follow the same principle
All elastic jumpers follow the same principle

of storing energy in a spring and releasing that energy
of storing energy in a spring and releasing that energy

in a single stroke to jump.
in a single stroke to jump.

But none of the jumping toys we had
But none of the jumping toys we had

could compare to this tiny robot.
could compare to this tiny robot.

(bouncy music)
(bouncy music)

- Of all the things that I have ever tried to film,
- Of all the things that I have ever tried to film,

this is the most challenging.
this is the most challenging.

Because it's so small, it accelerates rapidly
Because it's so small, it accelerates rapidly

and travels a huge distance on each jump.
and travels a huge distance on each jump.

Each takeoff happened faster than we could even register.
Each takeoff happened faster than we could even register.

Now, jumping might sound like a niche skill,
Now, jumping might sound like a niche skill,

but engineered jumpers would be perfect
but engineered jumpers would be perfect

for exploring other worlds,
for exploring other worlds,

particularly where the atmosphere is thin or non-existent.
particularly where the atmosphere is thin or non-existent.

On the moon with one sixth the gravity of earth,
On the moon with one sixth the gravity of earth,

this robot would be able to leap 125 meters high
this robot would be able to leap 125 meters high

and half a kilometer forward.
and half a kilometer forward.

Rovers may struggle with steep cliffs and deep craters,
Rovers may struggle with steep cliffs and deep craters,

but jumpers could hop in and out,
but jumpers could hop in and out,

fetching samples to bring back to the Rover.
fetching samples to bring back to the Rover.

And you don't lose much energy when jumping,
And you don't lose much energy when jumping,

so if you could store
so if you could store

the kinetic energy back in the spring on landing,
the kinetic energy back in the spring on landing,

the efficiency could be near perfect.
the efficiency could be near perfect.

The team has already started to build an entire fleet
The team has already started to build an entire fleet

of jumping robots.
of jumping robots.

Some of them can right themselves after landing so,
Some of them can right themselves after landing so,

they can take off again right away.
they can take off again right away.

Others are steerable.
Others are steerable.

They have three adjustable legs that allow the
They have three adjustable legs that allow the

jumper to launch in any direction.
jumper to launch in any direction.

- Essentially, what we've done is
- Essentially, what we've done is

we've added three additional legs
we've added three additional legs

that don't store energy but rather allow it
that don't store energy but rather allow it

to form a tripod sort of that allows it to point a direction
to form a tripod sort of that allows it to point a direction

and launch in that direction.
and launch in that direction.

- But how does this jumping mechanism work?
- But how does this jumping mechanism work?

Well, the main structure consists of four pieces
Well, the main structure consists of four pieces

of carbon fiber bound together by elastic bands.
of carbon fiber bound together by elastic bands.

Together they create a spring that stores all
Together they create a spring that stores all

the energy needed for the jump at the top of
the energy needed for the jump at the top of

the robot is a small motor,
the robot is a small motor,

a string wrapped around the axle is connected to the bottom
a string wrapped around the axle is connected to the bottom

of the robot.
of the robot.

So when the motor is turned on, it winds up the string
So when the motor is turned on, it winds up the string

compressing the robot and this stores energy in
compressing the robot and this stores energy in

the carbon fiber and rubber bands.
the carbon fiber and rubber bands.

After about a minute and a half
After about a minute and a half

the structure reaches maximum compression.
the structure reaches maximum compression.

How do you know like when to put it down?
How do you know like when to put it down?

- Basically once the bottom there,
- Basically once the bottom there,

sits inward and it can stand up,
sits inward and it can stand up,

right now it would roll over.
right now it would roll over.

- Right.
- Right.

- Then you put it down.
- Then you put it down.

- Got it. - So as soon as you can.
- Got it. - So as soon as you can.

- And at this point, a trigger releases the latch
- And at this point, a trigger releases the latch

that's holding the string on the axle.
that's holding the string on the axle.

So all the string unspools all at once and
So all the string unspools all at once and

the energy stored in the spring is released.
the energy stored in the spring is released.

- The jumper goes from a standstill
- The jumper goes from a standstill

to over a hundred kilometers an hour
to over a hundred kilometers an hour

in only nine milliseconds.
in only nine milliseconds.

That gives an acceleration of over 300 g's.
That gives an acceleration of over 300 g's.

That would be enough to kill basically any living creature.
That would be enough to kill basically any living creature.

- Watch out, watch out, watch out.
- Watch out, watch out, watch out.

- But how does it jump so much higher than everything else?
- But how does it jump so much higher than everything else?

Nearly 10 times higher than the previous record holder.
Nearly 10 times higher than the previous record holder.

Well, this jumper has three special design features.
Well, this jumper has three special design features.

First, the jumper is incredibly light at just 30 grams.
First, the jumper is incredibly light at just 30 grams.

It achieves this weight by employing a tiny motor
It achieves this weight by employing a tiny motor

and battery.
and battery.

Plus its entire structure made of lightweight carbon fiber
Plus its entire structure made of lightweight carbon fiber

and rubber doubles as the spring.
and rubber doubles as the spring.

Per unit mass natural latex rubber can store more energy
Per unit mass natural latex rubber can store more energy

than nearly any other elastic material,
than nearly any other elastic material,

7,000 joules per kilogram.
7,000 joules per kilogram.

And the design of the spring makes it ideal for its purpose.
And the design of the spring makes it ideal for its purpose.

Initially they tried using only rubber bands connected
Initially they tried using only rubber bands connected

to hinged aluminum rods,
to hinged aluminum rods,

but with this design when compressing it, the force rises
but with this design when compressing it, the force rises

to a peak and then decreases.
to a peak and then decreases.

Just feels like it all of a sudden got a lot easier to pull.
Just feels like it all of a sudden got a lot easier to pull.

Another design with only carbon fiber slats requires a lot
Another design with only carbon fiber slats requires a lot

of force to get started,
of force to get started,

and then it increases linearly after that.
and then it increases linearly after that.

There is more and more force required to do this.
There is more and more force required to do this.

The ultimate design is a hybrid of these two approaches.
The ultimate design is a hybrid of these two approaches.

The benefit being it's force profile is almost flat
The benefit being it's force profile is almost flat

over the entire range of compression.
over the entire range of compression.

Feels like that needs a lot of force,
Feels like that needs a lot of force,

and now it feels pretty steady
and now it feels pretty steady

with the amount of force that I need to apply.
with the amount of force that I need to apply.

Therefore it provides double the energy storage
Therefore it provides double the energy storage

of a typical spring
of a typical spring

where force is proportional to displacement.
where force is proportional to displacement.

The researchers argue this is the most
The researchers argue this is the most

efficient spring ever made.
efficient spring ever made.

- Sometimes a string will snap,
- Sometimes a string will snap,

it's not always consistent that it releases
it's not always consistent that it releases

when it's supposed to.
when it's supposed to.

- Ooh.
- Ooh.

- There's a string cut,
- There's a string cut,

let me go re-string it.
let me go re-string it.

(fingers snap)
(fingers snap)

I'll be right back. - All right.
I'll be right back. - All right.

- You'd probably expect that lighter would always
- You'd probably expect that lighter would always

be better with a jumper,
be better with a jumper,

especially if the added weight is simply dead weight
especially if the added weight is simply dead weight

rather than anything useful like a spring or a motor.
rather than anything useful like a spring or a motor.

- So we're adding basically a chunk of steel
- So we're adding basically a chunk of steel

to our jumper and it's gonna jump higher.
to our jumper and it's gonna jump higher.

And the key is that we're adding it to the top.
And the key is that we're adding it to the top.

You want your body,
You want your body,

the part that's moving to weigh at least as much as the foot
the part that's moving to weigh at least as much as the foot

and when your body's lighter it's basically this collision
and when your body's lighter it's basically this collision

this energy transfer is very inefficient
this energy transfer is very inefficient

and you don't jump very high.
and you don't jump very high.

- But the real secret to how
- But the real secret to how

this jumper can achieve such heights is through something
this jumper can achieve such heights is through something

the researchers call work multiplication, unlike an animal
the researchers call work multiplication, unlike an animal

which can only jump using a single stroke of its muscle,
which can only jump using a single stroke of its muscle,

an engineered jumper can store up
an engineered jumper can store up

the energy from many strokes or in this case
the energy from many strokes or in this case

many revolutions of its motor.
many revolutions of its motor.

And that's how the motor can be so small.
And that's how the motor can be so small.

It doesn't have to deliver the energy all at once.
It doesn't have to deliver the energy all at once.

It builds it up gradually over a few minutes.
It builds it up gradually over a few minutes.

So the trade off is kind of like time for energy.
So the trade off is kind of like time for energy.

- Exactly.
- Exactly.

- And this is possible because
- And this is possible because

there is a latch under tension preventing the spring
there is a latch under tension preventing the spring

from unspooling until the robot is fully compressed.
from unspooling until the robot is fully compressed.

Interestingly, biological organisms do use latches,
Interestingly, biological organisms do use latches,

for example the sand flee,
for example the sand flee,

which can jump incredibly high for its body size.
which can jump incredibly high for its body size.

- It has a muscle that is attached,
- It has a muscle that is attached,

let's say right here,
let's say right here,

is right inside of the pivot point.
is right inside of the pivot point.

So as it contracts
So as it contracts

that muscle the leg doesn't extend, right?
that muscle the leg doesn't extend, right?

It's actually closing it more,
It's actually closing it more,

but then it has a second muscle that pulls it out.
but then it has a second muscle that pulls it out.

It's going to shift this muscle ever so slightly
It's going to shift this muscle ever so slightly

outside the pivot point.
outside the pivot point.

That's wild. So there's these two muscles that are working.
That's wild. So there's these two muscles that are working.

- Yeah. So here's your big power muscle,
- Yeah. So here's your big power muscle,

here's your trigger muscle.
here's your trigger muscle.

It's a torque reversal mechanism
It's a torque reversal mechanism

and then all of a sudden it shoots.
and then all of a sudden it shoots.

- But even though the biological world has latches
- But even though the biological world has latches

no organism has developed work multiplication for a jump
no organism has developed work multiplication for a jump

from standstill.
from standstill.

At least not internally, spider monkeys have been observed
At least not internally, spider monkeys have been observed

pulling back a branch hand over hand using multiple muscle
pulling back a branch hand over hand using multiple muscle

strokes stored in the bend of the branch to
strokes stored in the bend of the branch to

catapult themselves forward.
catapult themselves forward.

There's a spider that shoots out a silky string
There's a spider that shoots out a silky string

which they pull back multiple times in order
which they pull back multiple times in order

to slingshot themselves to another location.
to slingshot themselves to another location.

So it's like slingshotting itself?
So it's like slingshotting itself?

- Yes. So they are called the slingshot spider.
- Yes. So they are called the slingshot spider.

- Now I tried jumping in moon boots to see if
- Now I tried jumping in moon boots to see if

they would help me go higher.
they would help me go higher.

- That is okay. (laughs)
- That is okay. (laughs)

- Okay
- Okay

Ooh.
Ooh.

- And it certainly felt like they did,
- And it certainly felt like they did,

but Elliot pointed out that from a standing start
but Elliot pointed out that from a standing start

they don't actually help much.
they don't actually help much.

- Like kinda build it, build it, build it, and then go.
- Like kinda build it, build it, build it, and then go.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Only if you jump a few times before, can you store up some
Only if you jump a few times before, can you store up some

of the previous jumps energy in the elastic bands and then
of the previous jumps energy in the elastic bands and then

that energy helps launch you higher on the following jump.
that energy helps launch you higher on the following jump.

For years, engineered jumping was developed to
For years, engineered jumping was developed to

mimic biological jumping, but with work multiplication
mimic biological jumping, but with work multiplication

it gained an advantage.
it gained an advantage.

If you can generate a large burst of energy
If you can generate a large burst of energy

simply by running a motor for a long time
simply by running a motor for a long time

the power of the motor is no longer the limiting factor
the power of the motor is no longer the limiting factor

The spring is.
The spring is.

So you can focus on making
So you can focus on making

the most powerful spring possible.
the most powerful spring possible.

This jumper has nearly maximized the achievable height
This jumper has nearly maximized the achievable height

with this spring.
with this spring.

Assuming an infinitely light motor
Assuming an infinitely light motor

with infinite time to wind up the highest possible jump
with infinite time to wind up the highest possible jump

with this compression spring is only
with this compression spring is only

around 19% higher than what they've achieved.
around 19% higher than what they've achieved.

If you want to incorporate air resistance
If you want to incorporate air resistance

and play with aerodynamics
and play with aerodynamics

another way to send the jumper higher is to
another way to send the jumper higher is to

make it 10 times isometrically larger leading
make it 10 times isometrically larger leading

to a 15 to 20% higher jump.
to a 15 to 20% higher jump.

- So we're in kind of an intermediate scale where
- So we're in kind of an intermediate scale where

we still are getting hit by air drag
we still are getting hit by air drag

but it's not as bad as the flee.
but it's not as bad as the flee.

If we went 10 times bigger
If we went 10 times bigger

we could actually avoid drag completely.
we could actually avoid drag completely.

- This works since if the jumper is scaled up ten times
- This works since if the jumper is scaled up ten times

on all sides the cross sectional area increases
on all sides the cross sectional area increases

by a hundred,
by a hundred,

which increases the drag force
which increases the drag force

but the jumper's mass increases by a thousand.
but the jumper's mass increases by a thousand.

So it has way more inertia meaning
So it has way more inertia meaning

the drag force affects it less.
the drag force affects it less.

The entire concept of work multiplication
The entire concept of work multiplication

could bring robots to the next level.
could bring robots to the next level.

Currently motors and robots have to be relatively small
Currently motors and robots have to be relatively small

so they remain portable.
so they remain portable.

But the simple principle of building
But the simple principle of building

up the energy from multiple turns of a motor
up the energy from multiple turns of a motor

over time would allow robots to store
over time would allow robots to store

and then release huge amounts of energy
and then release huge amounts of energy

and set some world records in the process.
and set some world records in the process.

(outro music)
(outro music)

Getting this robot off the ground required more
Getting this robot off the ground required more

than just engineering.
than just engineering.

It took a deep understanding of math and physics.
It took a deep understanding of math and physics.

And if you wanna take your STEM skills to the next level
And if you wanna take your STEM skills to the next level

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