Meet Salto-1P, a robot that jumps like a frog

After building a robot that looks like a dog, Boston Dynamics is back with a robot capable of jumping around like a frog.

Called Salto-1P (which stands for Saltatorial Location Terrain Obstacles), it is a monopedal jumping robot capable of continuous high-power hopping. The explainer video shows the robot in action, jumping with its one foot as if playing one-leg hopscotch or jumping on stepping stones.

The researchers explain the action as 'deadbeat foot placement hopping control' where precise foot placement enables the robot to jump on surfaces like furniture. Salto-1P will be demonstrated at the 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.