A team of researchers created a robotic insect that could jump above the water surface like a water spider. Pioneer universities collaborated on the project.
Seoul National University and Harvard University worked together to construct the robot. The movement of a water spider as it jumps above the surface of the water was used to conceptualize the mechanical bug.
According to Washington Post, the researchers created the legs of the robot so that it could apply the needed pressure to lift itself above surface without breaking the water's surface tension.
The article stated that the researchers used high-speed cameras and computer modeling in observing the spider. The researchers observed that spider's legs moves inward when jumping. The inward direction of its legs makes it possible to maximize the force it exerts without pressing to much against a single spot.
According to NBC News, the mechanical bug is 68 milligrams and it is two centimeters long. Kyujin Cho, a professor of mechanical engineering at Seoul National University was cited by the news network.
Cho said that he is fascinated by how the water striders jump on water. He is also excited to see that they are able to extract principles from water jumping.
The network listed the names of the researchers. The research included Cho, biology professors Piotr Jblonski and Sangin Lee, fluid dynamics Professor Ho-Young Kim, and bio-robotics Professor Robert Wood
Cho, Jblonski, Lee, and Kim are from the Seoul University and Wood is from Harvard. The researcher's work is to be published on July 31 in the journal Science according to the network.