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CASE 21 / Mechanisms

Insect-scale bistable jumper

Tunable energy barriers control storage and release to produce multiple jumping modes at insect scale.

BATE2024
Guo et al., 2024, Fig. 1A–E: bistable mechanism, motion sequences and a fingertip-scale prototype.
Guo et al., 2024, Fig. 1A–E: bistable mechanism, motion sequences and a fingertip-scale prototype.Qingkai Guo, Yu Sun, Tianxiang Zhang, Shiyu Xie, Xuefeng Chen, Zhuang Zhang, Hanqing Jiang, Laihao Yang

Watch the video

Paper-related demonstration: bistable jumping prototype. · Guo et al. · 540p source video

01 / STUDY

Mechanism and experiments

The work uses tunable energy barriers in a bistable mechanism to produce different jumping behaviors. The figure shows the mechanism, motion sequences and a fingertip-scale prototype.

02 / CONTEXT

Test conditions and scope

Experiments focus on bistable mechanisms and jumping; work in rubble or engine interiors was not validated.

03 / SOURCE

Papers and primary sources

Bistable insect-scale jumpers with tunable energy barriers for multimodal locomotion
Qingkai Guo, Yu Sun, Tianxiang Zhang, Shiyu Xie, Xuefeng Chen, Zhuang Zhang, Hanqing Jiang, Laihao Yang
Advanced Science

EXPERIMENT / IMAGES

Experimental images

Guo et al., 2024, Fig. 1: bistable jumper design and experiments.
Guo et al., 2024, Fig. 1: bistable jumper design and experiments.Qingkai Guo, Yu Sun, Tianxiang Zhang, Shiyu Xie, Xuefeng Chen, Zhuang Zhang, Hanqing Jiang, Laihao Yang · CC BY 4.0
Guo et al., 2024, Fig. 5: continuous jumping, steering, camera carrying and state monitoring.
Guo et al., 2024, Fig. 5: continuous jumping, steering, camera carrying and state monitoring.Qingkai Guo, Yu Sun, Tianxiang Zhang, Shiyu Xie, Xuefeng Chen, Zhuang Zhang, Hanqing Jiang, Laihao Yang · CC BY 4.0