Washington, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Researchers from Cornell University and other institutions in the United States have newly developed an insect-sized robot. This quadruped micro-robot can not only crawl and jump but also carry items 22 times its own weight.

Researchers published a paper in the latest issue of the American journal Science, stating that each foot of this quadruped robot is equipped with a driver, which is a hollow cylinder with silicone on top and somewhat resembles a drum in shape. To enable the robot to crawl or jump, methane and oxygen are injected into each foot and ignited by batteries. The gas reacts to release energy, causing the silica gel to deform and provide driving force. This robot can jump to a height of 56 centimeters and carry items 22 times its own weight.

This robot is small in size, light in weight, powerful and capable of long-distance movement. It is expected to be used in fields such as environmental monitoring and search and rescue. However, at present, it must be connected to the battery and gas supply source through cables. How to break free from this constraint is the problem that needs to be solved in the next research.