The Spring Actuated Lunar Robot’s (SALR) objective is to further our understanding of the moon’s surface with a novel way of traveling by jumping. The rugged terrain poses challenges to rovers and a lack of an atmosphere on the Moon means flight by generating lift is not viable. The jumping spring mechanism created by the Hawkes Lab would allow a robot to reach heights of 30 meters, becoming even greater with the Moon’s low gravity. Jumping on the moon also allows for the potential of recovering energy when landing and dampening the impact.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. Young children who have been diagnosed with CP often require physical therapy treatment in order to walk, crawl, or even sit up on their own. Many adults with cerebral palsy require aid to do everyday tasks and in some cases require wheelchairs, prohibiting them from leading fully independent lives.