How a Parasitic Worm Inspired a Robot That Jumps 10 Feet Without Legs

The nematode-inspired soft robots are made of silicone rods with carbon-fiber spines. (Photo: Candler Hobbs)

In a stunning demonstration of bio-inspired engineering, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a soft robot that can leap nearly 10 feet in the air, without legs. About the size of a pencil and made of silicone with a carbon-fiber spine, the device was inspired by the unassuming yet surprisingly athletic movements of nematodes, a … Read more