Table 1 Comparison between this work and some soft forward jumping robots.

From: Legless soft robots capable of rapid, continuous, and steered jumping

Soft jumping robots

Energy-storing jumping

Actuation methods

Weight (g)

Jumping distance

Jumping height

Propulsive interval time (s)

Landing stability

Straight line jumping capability

Direction-adjusting capability

Unit cost

Kovač (2013)7

Yes

Spring

14.00

≈2.55 BD

≈3.44 BD

≥5.00

Medium

Low

Directional jumping (∞ directions)

High

Zhakypov (2019)18

Yes

SMA

9.70

3.97 BL

2.50 BH

>24.00

High

High

No

High

Huang (2018)19

Yes

SMA

3.00

≈2.00 BL

1.00 BH

≈3.00

High

High

No

High

Hu (2018)21

Yes

Magnetic

N/A

≈1.63 BL

2.44 BL

>10.00

Low

Medium

Steered jumping (≈15.0°/s)

N/A

Ahn (2019)22

Yes

Light

N/A

8.00 BL

5.00 BH

≥100.00

High

High

No

N/A

Hu (2017)23

Yes

Light

N/A

N/A

5.00 BH

≈10.56

High

High

No

N/A

Duduta (2020)25

Yes

DEA

0.90

1.34 BL

1.16 BL

≥6.00

High

High

No

Low

Zhao (2019)26

No

DEA

6.50

≈0.29 BL

<0.25 BH

≈0.03

High

High

No

Low

Ni (2015)27

No

Pneumatic

N/A

≈0.64 BL

≈0.64 BH

≥0.75

High

High

No

High

Liu (2020)29

No

Pneumatic

0.45

≈0.90 BL

≈0.80 BL

≥0.28

High

High

No

Low

Tolley (2014)30

No

Chemical

510.00

7.50 BH

7.50 BH

≥0.03

Low

Low

Directional jumping (3 directions)

High

Loepfe (2015)31

No

Chemical

2100.00

2.78 BD

1.11 BD

≈4.50

Medium

Low

No

High

Bartlett (2015)32

No

Chemical

Tethered: 478.60

Tethered: N/A

Tethered: 2.35 m

≥2.45

High

Low

Directional jumping (3 directions)

High

Untethered: 964.60

Untethered: 0.50 BL

Untethered: 6.00 BH

Churaman (2011)33

No

Chemical

0.314

≈21.78 BL

80 mm

∞

Low

Low

No

Low

Li (2017)34

No

Motor

250.00

2.57 BL

1.00 BH

≈10.00

Medium

Low

Steered jumping (≈0.6°/s)

High

Mintchev (2018)36

No

Motor

37.00

≈3.35 BD

2.86 BD

≈3.00

Medium

Low

No

High

Wu (2019)37

No

PVDF

≈0.06

≈0.11 BL

<0.25 BH

<0.01

High

High

Steered jumping (≈0.8°/s)

Low

This work

No

sEHBA

1.10

1.46 BL

7.68 BH

≈0.01

High

High

Single-body: No

Low

Dual-body: steered jumping (138.4°/s)

  1. Notes: BL body length, BH body height, BD body diameter, N/A not available. Landing stability, straight line jumping, and unit cost were evaluated in three (high, medium, and low) levels. The following are the detailed level judgment criteria:
  2. ● Landing stability:
  3. (1) High. After the robot lands, it does not roll and does not need artificial/self-righting before the next jumping.
  4. (2) Medium. The robot is capable of self-righting. After landing, it rolls a distance and sometimes needs self-righting based on its posture.
  5. (3) Low. The robot is not capable of self-righting. After landing, it rolls a distance and sometimes needs artificial-righting based on its posture.
  6. ● Straight line jumping capability:
  7. (1) High. There is no need for artificial direction adjustment in continuous forward jumping process. Connecting several continuous landing points as a line, it is basically a straight line.
  8. (2) Medium. The robot needs artificial direction adjustment in continuous forward jumping process. Connecting several continuous landing points as a line, it is basically a straight line.
  9. (3) Low. The landing points have some randomness in continuous jumping process. Connecting several continuous landing points as a line, it is a curve.
  10. ● Unit cost:
  11. We estimate the unit price based on the main material and component price (from a Chinese e-commerce website) of the robot.
  12. (1) High. The unit price exceeds 10 RMB.
  13. (2) Low. The unit price does bot exceeds 10 RMB.
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