While it’s not the first robot to mimic the water-gliding insect’s skating motion, it’s the first that can actually bounce on water. Robots that can maneuver nimbly on a pond or lake surface could be used for pollution monitoring or surveillance missions.
The new robot, designed by engineer Jie Zhao and colleagues from China’s Harbin Institute of Technology, is described July 25 in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. It’s six inches long and weighs about as much as a wooden pencil, or 1,000 times the weight of a real water strider.
The robot’s five legs consist of carbon-fiber bars atop supports made from superhydrophobic nickel, an extremely water-repellent compound. When plunged into water, a pocket of air forms around the nickel, preventing the legs from sinking.
Three supporting legs balance the robot, while two spring-loaded jumping legs send it six inches high and twice as far.
While the robot’s jumps are impressive, however, real water striders still win on speed and agility.
Video: Zhao et al.
