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Programmable Metashells Leap on Command, Researchers Turn to Biodegradable Materials

By embedding viscoelastic delays into a PET lattice, the shells can vault up to nine times their own height on surfaces ranging from snow to water.

Image
This image combines time-lapsed photos to show one of these "metashells" leaping into the air from a snowy surface.

Overview

  • The spherical metashells are crafted from woven polyethylene terephthalate strands that store and release elastic energy through viscoelastic creep.
  • Jump timing can be preset from three seconds to 58 hours and launch heights range from half to nine times the shell’s own size.
  • Laboratory tests show reliable jumps across solid ground, sand, snow and even water at temperatures down to –15 °C.
  • Equipped to carry cargo, a 100 mm metashell successfully dispersed seeds across a 1.5 m radius, demonstrating autonomous payload release.
  • Backed by National Science Foundation funding, the team is now developing biodegradable versions and inviting academic and industry collaborations.