Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2012, showcasing early robotic innovation by Boston Dynamics, long before their robots became mainstream internet sensations.
Boston Dynamics released a video of their incredible jumping robot called the Sand Flea. It is an 11-pound robot that drives like a traditional remote control car, but has the astonishing ability to jump high into the air. The Sand Flea robot is funded by the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force.
Leaping Over Obstacles
It moves on four wheels like a regular robot, but when faced with a vertical obstacle, it can be propelled up to 30 feet in the air. Sand Flea has its origins in the Precision Urban Hopper, which was born of a collaboration between Sandia National Labs and Boston Dynamics in 2009.
An on-board stabilisation system keeps the robot perfectly oriented during flight to help control landings and to vastly improve the view from the on-board video camera. The on-board video system brings back live visual data to its remote operator, making it perfect for special ops surveillance missions.
Instead of jumping while moving (like the Precision Urban Hopper did), the Sand Flea stops, rears back, and powerfully launches itself into the air. Sand Flea has no trouble clearing a 10-metre obstacle, and it is accurate enough that you can confidently operate it to jump straight through a window two stories up.
CO2 Powered Launches
The piston, which looks as if it fires out the back of the robot as opposed to straight downwards, is powered by compressed CO2. The Sand Flea can make an impressive 25 jumps in a row before it needs to juice itself up again. Sand Flea is intended to be used in conflict zones to hop over walls, take a look around, and quickly hop right back home again.
The tricky bit to all this is keeping the Sand Flea oriented as steadily as possible during the extreme jump. The core idea is that the robot will be able to send back highly useful video while in midair, which a haphazard aerial tumble would otherwise preclude.
Advanced Reconnaissance
The Sand Flea’s launch system requires it to stop, aim, and gently rear up before liftoff, ensuring a perfectly calculated jump trajectory.
The Sand Flea may resemble a child’s remote-controlled car, but it was designed as a serious reconnaissance tool developed for the US military by Boston Dynamics. It stands alongside other remarkable historical creations by the company, including Little Dog, RiSE, RHex, Big Dog, Cheetah, Petman, and the LS3.
