Design of a miniature integrated multi-modal jumping and gliding robot

This paper presents the design of a biologically inspired miniature integrated jumping and gliding robot capable of jumping heights of greater than 6 meters with a total weight of less than 100 grams. The robot is composed of two four-bar mechanisms that provide the structure for both jumping and gliding. The robot is highly integrated utilizing approximately 80% of the system mass for the jumping mode and 67% for the gliding mode. The drawbacks and benefits associated with the development of the integrated jumping and gliding prototype are highlighted and discussed. Finally, prototypes are constructed to test the integration strategy and validate the theoretical design.