---
title: "Scientists Create Tiny IR-Powered Jumping Robots — But Haven't Figured Out Why Yet"
description: "American scientists have developed non-electronic ring-shaped robots made of liquid crystal elastomer that jump using infrared radiation and change trajectory based on the clamp angle."
date: 2026-09-29T15:48:50.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/scientists-create-ir-powered-jumping-robots
tags: [soft-robotics, infrared-radiation, microrobots, innovations]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Scientists Create Tiny IR-Powered Jumping Robots — But Haven't Figured Out Why Yet

![Infrared-powered jumping microrobot](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/29/uchenie-sozdali-robotov-prigunov-na-ik-pitanii/uchenie-sozdali-robotov-prigunov-na-ik-pitanii-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Robots operate on infrared radiation without complex electronics
- The structure is made of liquid crystal elastomer with an aluminum clamp
- Changing the clamp angle allows controlling the movement trajectory: crawling or jumping
- Researchers have not yet determined practical applications for the technology

American researchers have unveiled a new development in soft robotics—ring-shaped microrobots capable of continuous jumping powered by infrared radiation energy. These unusual mechanisms demonstrate a high level of autonomy without the use of complex electronic circuits and batteries, relying solely on the physical properties of materials. Scientists at North Carolina State University note that the project opens new horizons in the creation of compact autonomous devices, although at the current stage, the practical application of the resulting apparatuses has not yet been determined.

### Design Features and Operating Principle

The main structural element is an elastic cord made of liquid crystal elastomer, the ends of which are securely fixed using a V-shaped aluminum holder. Under the influence of external infrared radiation, this polymer cord begins to contract while simultaneously twisting around its own axis and storing potential energy. The innovative aluminum clamp prevents the material from prematurely unwinding until a critical stress point is reached, after which the mechanism is abruptly released, hitting the surface and giving the entire structure a powerful acceleration forward or upward.

### Trajectory Control

The engineers discovered that the robot's movement pattern can be easily controlled by changing the geometric parameters of the retaining clamp. Thus, setting the V-shaped cutout at an angle of 120 degrees makes the device crawl, reducing the angle to 90 degrees switches the mechanism to forward jumping mode, and narrowing it to 50 degrees ensures a vertical takeoff. Notably, the miniature robot is capable of covering distances many times its own size, jumping forward by three body lengths or rising to a height of eighty units of its size.

### Integration Prospects and Potential Applications

The uniqueness of the developed system lies in the fact that after making a jump, the device does not require manual intervention to return to its original position—the cycle repeats continuously under the influence of IR heat.  Despite the fact that the creators have not yet named specific usage scenarios for their robots, the expert community sees huge potential in the concept. Due to the possibility of integrating lightweight sensors with low power consumption, such mechanisms in the future could be deployed by researchers for monitoring hard-to-reach zones, working in aggressive liquid environments, and overcoming complex obstacles on rough terrain.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Учёные создали крошечных роботов-прыгунов на ИК-питании — но пока не придумали, зачем window-new](https://3dnews.ru/1149217/uchyonie-sozdali-kroshechnih-robotovprigunov-na-ikpitanii-no-poka-ne-pridumali-zachem) - Технические данные о конструкции из жидкокристаллического эластомера и принципе ИК-питания полностью подтверждены.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What energy source do the new robots use?
**A:** The robots are powered by infrared radiation energy, which causes the polymer cord to contract.

### Q: How can the direction of movement be controlled?
**A:** The direction and movement pattern are regulated by changing the angle of the V-shaped aluminum clamp.