RoMeLa’s modular robot design uses tethered jumping for planetary exploration

Researchers at RoMeLa, the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have designed SPLITTER (Space and Planetary Limbed Intelligent Tether Technology Exploration Robot), a multi-robot system for planetary exploration comprised of two sub-10kg quadrupedal robots connected by a tether. Professor Dennis Hong, the PI for the project and director of RoMeLa told Tech Xplore, “With new challenges, we create new solutions and new knowledge which make this job more meaningful and interesting.”