The jump, tumble and roll robot

A robot built to explore disaster sites traverses rubble by jumping, tumbling and rolling.

The Leg-in-Rotor V, built at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, has wheels that allow it to roll over flat surfaces and a pneumatic cylinder leg that pops it up more than three feet over debris.

The Leg-in-Rotor consists of two wheels, two passive legs for stabilization and a pneumatic kicking cylinder. Two light sensors turn on when the device nears an obstacle and estimate when and how high it should jump.

If the object is less than about three feet tall, the pneumatic cylinder thrusts the ground directly beneath the vehicle. If the robot lands on its side, the cylinder kicks out to help right it.

"It can jump while rolling, which takes advantage of the kinetic energy ... (and) it can land in any posture, which helps it recover immediately to start the next motion," said associate professor Hideyuki Tsukagoshi.

And if the sensors detect an impediment but find it too tall, the robot will find a different route.

Along the way, its camera sends video images to a computer, allowing humans to participate in the search effort. A speaker installed on the device allows rescuers to speak to trapped victims.

Videos.

Via Discovery Channel. Pictures and here.