Georgia Tech engineers have developed a 5-inch soft robot capable of jumping 10 feet high, inspired by the movements of nematodes—tiny parasitic worms. This robot, made from a silicone rod reinforced with a carbon-fiber spine, can leap without legs, mimicking the unique jumping mechanisms of nematodes. Nematodes, or roundworms, are incredibly small organisms, often thinner than a human hair, but they possess remarkable jumping abilities, able to leap up to 20 times their body length. These worms don’t have legs, yet they can jump by bending their bodies into specific shapes that store elastic energy, which is then released to propel them through the air. The researchers, led by Sunny Kumar and Ishant Tiwari, observed the nematodes using high-speed cameras and noted two distinct jumping techniques. To jump backward, nematodes point their heads upwards and tighten the midpoint of their bodies, creating a kink similar to a person in a squat position. This allows them to leap backward, end over end, much like a gymnast performing a backflip. Conversely, to jump forward, they point their heads straight and create a kink on the opposite end of their bodies, storing energy similarly to how a person would for a standing broad jump. However, instead of jumping straight, the worm catapults itself upward. The ability to change their center of mass enables nematodes to control the direction and height of their jumps, making them one of the only organisms at such a small scale that can efficiently leap in both directions with the same height. The researchers found that the kinks formed in the nematode’s body allow for the storage and rapid release of significant amounts of energy, typically within a tenth of a millisecond, enabling multiple jumps in succession. To replicate this behavior, the team created simulations based on their observations and built soft robots. By reinforcing these robots with carbon fibers, they were able to enhance the leaping capability, making the jumps higher and more precise. The project involved collaboration between researchers from Georgia Tech, University of California, Berkeley, and University of California, Riverside. This innovation has implications for the development of robots designed to traverse difficult terrains. For example, a jumping robot was recently launched to the moon, and other leaping robots are being developed for search and rescue missions, where they need to navigate unpredictable environments and overcome obstacles. The ability to store and release energy efficiently through kinks, as demonstrated by the nematodes, could be particularly useful in creating simple yet powerful elastic systems for such applications. Associate Professor Saad Bhamla's lab at Georgia Tech focuses on understanding the unique biological mechanisms of various creatures and applying these principles to robotics. Their ongoing projects aim to uncover more such natural phenomena and translate them into practical engineering solutions. Industry insiders have praised the research for its potential to revolutionize the design of soft and elastic robotic systems. This approach not only enhances the robots’ mobility but also opens new avenues for exploration in environments where traditional wheeled or legged robots struggle. Georgia Tech, known for its cutting-edge research in robotics and biomimicry, continues to be at the forefront of innovative solutions in the field, leveraging the natural world to overcome engineering challenges.