# Snapping robot outpaces rigid-legged version across six surfaces

_Published Friday, October 16, 2026 at 8:06 PM EDT · Robotics · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![When the helical elastic limbs at the back of the robot are twisted, they produce a snapping motion, propelling it forward with a hopping motion reminiscent of a frog — Primary](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/831d9e9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1314x690+0+93/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2F84%2F01aa861b443498ebf4b958e9cdda%2Fhopping-robot-1.jpeg&na.image_optimisation=0)

Researchers at UCLA and the University of Michigan built a prototype robot whose flexible limbs snap between shapes, averaging 2.46 body lengths per second across six surfaces against 0.79 for a rigid-legged version with equal-power motors.

Small motors twist helical Nitinol rods to store elastic energy, then release it suddenly to propel the robot. The 11-cm-long, 98.2-g machine hopped across grass and sand, climbed small steps and swam with fins attached.

The design balances the force of each snap against the time needed to reset its limbs. Navigation demonstrations remain basic, and the speed comparison covered only the team's rigid-legged version, rather than other spring-powered jumping robots.

## Sources

- [New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News](https://newatlas.com/robotics/tiny-snapping-robot/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/Cjz13W4dHV2IFuwzcykLa4
Published: 2026-10-17T00:06:30.240Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-16T23:03:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-17T03:06:57.203Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)