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About

Ben Parslew is a robotics researcher whose work focuses on the design and energetics of spring-driven jumping robots for extreme environment exploration. His major contributions center on characterizing the take-off dynamics and energy efficiency of these systems, particularly through the use of rhomboidal linkage mechanisms that create nonlinear springs for enhanced elastic energy storage. Parslew’s most cited paper, "Characterising the take-off dynamics and energy efficiency in spring-driven jumping robots" (2024, 11 citations), challenges conventional design methodologies by moving beyond simple jump height optimization to consider broader energetic trade-offs. He also developed the CLOVER Robot (2022, 4 citations), a minimally actuated jumping platform designed for negotiating complex, cluttered terrain. Notably, his work extends to space applications, as seen in "An Energetic Analysis of Rhomboidal Linkage Robots for Hopping Lunar Exploration" (2021, 4 citations), where he presents a framework for maximizing elastic potential energy storage in lunar missions. Through his research, Parslew is advancing the practicality of jumping robots for planetary exploration and terrestrial search-and-rescue, with a focus on energy-efficient, minimally actuated designs.