Grasshopper-inspired Jollbot rolls, collapses, jumps, won't mutate and attack Chicago

You know how the saying goes: "You've seen one grasshopper robot, you've seen 'em all." Well, actually, the one pictured above, called the Jollbot, is something kind of off the beaten path, even for grasshopper bots. The creation of PhD student Rhodri Armour at the University of Bath (yeah, the resort town with the natural hot springs), this robot is pretty multi-talented. Designed to be adept at handling multiple types of terrain, the Jollbot can jump up to a half meter in the air to avoid obstacles, but its spherical "cage" shape also allows it to roll in any direction. The robot uses electrical motors and stores energy in its skeleton. Just before a jump, the Jollbot collapses in on itself, then releases its energy in the jump. Armour theorizes that future versions of the machine could be solar powered. To see the robot in all of its glory, you'll probably want to check out the video after the break.

[Via TFOT]

[Giga @ Dec 12th 2008 1:47AM]

...

WTF?

[Blastar @ Dec 12th 2008 5:17AM]

So Stupid and Useless that makes you feel uncomfortable just looking at it.
Rhodri Armour at the University of Bath, Man you 've got to find another hobby and I mean it !

[Blastar @ Dec 12th 2008 8:25AM]

I guess.. that's a Man with Balls, right ?

[The WC @ Dec 12th 2008 1:48AM]

Properties for another Mars robot, anyone?

[4four1ones @ Dec 12th 2008 1:51AM]

Space exploration...interesting concepts to be discovered. Neato Bandito

[page87 and counting @ Dec 12th 2008 1:53AM]

That's right dude, just keep thinking that cage is a big breast, feel it long time...

[andres @ Dec 12th 2008 1:57AM]

thats right page87, keep thinking that hand is a woman.

[StalematE @ Dec 12th 2008 12:00PM]

Good 'ol Palmela Handerson.

[andres @ Dec 12th 2008 2:35PM]

handgelina jolie

[rlynd3 @ Dec 12th 2008 2:06AM]

LJ - Good Posts tonight!.. Keep em coming... :)

[ken @ Dec 12th 2008 3:15AM]

half life 2 roller mine.

[DssTrainer @ Dec 12th 2008 3:40AM]

takes a lot of energy to compress tho.

[wrabbit @ Dec 12th 2008 7:14AM]

True, but most of it is released back for the jump. Essentially, it takes a lot of energy to jump, which is always true :)
and in the future the skeleton could be constructed out of more efficient material that will release close to 100% of the kinetic energy.

[DssTrainer @ Dec 12th 2008 10:49AM]

But the point is the energy required to compress would drain the battery too fast...unless there is a way to collect the energy stored from the release. You'd get about 3 hops and the batteries would die

[scott @ Dec 12th 2008 3:45AM]

this could be a great tool for something like video equipment. an addition of a camera mount and a gyro and you could do some revolutionary stuff for film.

[absurdio @ Dec 13th 2008 3:41PM]

hahaaa.

revolutionary.

jokes about spheres.

Also. Just put a video camera on a r/c car?

[scott @ Dec 13th 2008 5:03PM]

lol, no way, i've actually tried that. it doesn't work like you'd think.

[Tim @ Dec 12th 2008 4:40AM]

I wish it would attack Chicago... All the goddamn politicians there have ruined the good name of Illinois. D:

So go ahead, pronounce the s at end. I dont even care anymore...

[God @ Dec 12th 2008 6:12AM]

I feel your pain brother, people can mispronounce Illinois or Chicago all they want now. I'm so disgusted, I feel like a whore ;_;.

[Freakin Ijit @ Dec 12th 2008 6:37AM]

Illinois had a good name?

[Froggy @ Dec 12th 2008 8:02AM]

it won't attack Chicago now. Give it a little time for the situation to settle. I mean, "take me to your leaders" just does not work if that equals "take me to jail."

[sean dailey @ Dec 12th 2008 9:02AM]

am i the only mst3k fan that got that reference?

[4m1R @ Dec 12th 2008 5:20AM]

Guys, Will it blend?

[absinthe party @ Dec 12th 2008 7:46AM]

Some of us here are women, thank-you very much. Not me, but some of us. Also, your meme is overplayed and no longer funny. Thanks for using the internet, and have a nice day.

[-Tj- @ Dec 12th 2008 8:52AM]

@absinthe party: the term "guys" can be used to address a group that consists of male and female members. Source: the Internet.

[Jack @ Dec 12th 2008 9:00AM]

so dont worry your pretty little head about it

[sean dailey @ Dec 12th 2008 8:59AM]

nice shout out to "the beginning of the end" in the title. peter graves ftw.

[Yipcanjo @ Dec 12th 2008 11:57AM]

Hairdo straight outta 1983...

[HunterXI @ Dec 12th 2008 6:04PM]

I was just about to say...

Not to mention that this "PhD Student" looks like a 14-year-old.

[HunterXI @ Dec 12th 2008 6:08PM]

I was just about to say...

Not to mention that this "PhD Student" looks like a 14-year-old.

[Mirt @ Dec 12th 2008 2:30PM]

This seems like it might be good for keeping ex-spies from leaving secret islands... maybe with the addition of a nylon cover.

[Jeff Moralde @ Dec 13th 2008 3:02PM]

Is that Jason Bateman? Is he on prednisone?