Roboticists have designed all sorts of jumping robots over the years, and many of them have been inspired by biology. But, as diverse as the natural world is, evolution hasn’t cracked every option.

Now a team of researchers has investigated the differences between biological and mechanical jumpers – and have managed to design a device capable of leaping over 30 metres into the air. This is 3 times the current record for a jumping robot, and they did it with a technique unavailable to the biological world - work multiplication.

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