New research on locomotion techniques that could be used in space exploration is constantly coming out. A lab from UCLA known as the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) is presenting a paper at the upcoming IEEE Aerospace Conference in March that details a unique system. The Space and Planetary Limbed Intelligent Tether Technology Exploration Robot (SPLITTER) consists of two miniaturized jumping robots tethered together.
Such a system might sound like a recipe for chaos and bring back memories of ladder ball games where no amount of control seems to make the tether go where you want it to. But, according to the paper, that system is actually quite stable, even in airless environments.
Mechanically, their system consists of two four-legged robots…