FURI | Spring 2019

Passively Actuated Jump Gliding Wings

This project is investigating the impact curvature, buckling, and anisotropy play when used passively to enhance jumping capability. In this paper we employ a curved laminate structure to allow a rigid link to collapse preferentially in one direction when it encounters aerodynamic drag forces. A joint of this nature could be used for passively actuated jump gliding, where wings would collapse immediately on takeoff and passively redeploy during descent, allowing the jumping robot to extend its horizontal range via gliding.