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Grand Award Winner: The Sand Flea

A robot for all your building-leaping needs.
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The Sand Flea Boston Dynamics
Video: See The Sand Flea Leap Onto A Building In A Single Bound

Reconnaissance robots have typically required elaborate engineering to overcome the challenges of urban surveillance; models based on hummingbirds, flies, and cockroaches are all in development. The engineers behind the Sand Flea, from Boston Dynamics, took the opposite approach. They created a simple, rugged, four-wheeled robot that tackles obstacles—whether walls or stairs or windows—by launching itself over and, in some cases, through them. The 11-pound, camera-equipped Sand Flea drives like an R/C car, but when faced with a hurdle it can jump up to 26 feet. The robot uses a laser range finder to measure the distance to its landing target and calculate trajectory. It then angles itself skyward and fires a launch piston powered with compressed air. A gyroscope within the Sand Flea generates enough inertial force to keep the robot level during flight, so the camera maintains a steady view. Big rubber wheels absorb shock when it lands.

BOSTON DYNAMICS SAND FLEA

Top Speed: 3.4 mph
Highest Jump: 26 feet
Resolution: 340 x 240 pixels

5 Comments

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haywall
12/06/12 at 9:48 am

They made it so it could jump 26 feet in the air but gave it the crappiest camera out there. I feel like they could have spent an extra $10 and gotten the HD cam. Cool idea, but that part was poorly executed.

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Kreedocide99
12/06/12 at 3:12 pm

They made a little box that's like a foot long and they make it powerful enough to jump twenty six times it's initial height. I see where you're coming from, but I think this needs to be praised. You can't trash something like this unless you can build it better yourself. I personally think that this is an amazing and well designed robot.

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Robot
12/07/12 at 9:44 am

I thought I posted here earlier\first. I wonder what happen to my post.

Maybe my post was a dream and I just thought I posted.

Well, I like this little robot a leaping. Seems appropriate during Christmas time!

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Chihuahuablend
12/07/12 at 10:00 pm

they probably gave it the best camera they could that was able to withstand the shock of impact from up to 26 feet. I'm sure future versions can use more resilient electronics and optics for the camera.

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bombastinator
12/10/12 at 1:26 am

I disagree. Tools are for a purpose. By your logic very few people on earth can tell a crap car from a decent one because they are unable to build them.

this guy apparently has used one of these things and found it inadequate for the task designed. If you still think this logic is faulty, I would love to sell you a Yugo.

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