Fig. 1: LSJR detailed design and motion principle.

a The LSJR consists of two plastic semicircular pouches printed with flexible electrodes. The front pouch is filled with a dielectric liquid, and the rear is filled with air with the same volume. A flexible plastic ring frame is fixed on the edge and is prestrained. Note that the rear air pouch functions to ensure that the pre-curved frame is consistent and maintains structural balance during the flight. b The LSJR prototype (1.1 g). Scale bar, 1 cm. c Schematic diagram of the LSJR jumping process. By the application of a high voltage to the two electrodes, the LSJR is energized to bend itself to generate forces and energy for forward jumping. During the voltage application, Maxwell stress squeezes the dielectric liquid and makes it flow laterally into the portion of the front pouch that is not covered by the electrodes (from the liquid outflow area to the liquid inflow area). d Cross-sectional views (e–e and f–f) of the LSJR: e–e denotes the deformation of the front pouch, whereas f–f shows the e–e deformation-driven whole-body bending and jumping. e Snapshots of the LSJR jumping, where 10 kV is applied to the actuator. Scale bar, 2 cm.