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Amphibionics 04 3/24/03 8:23 AM Page 51
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Frogbotic:

Build Your Own

Robotic Frog

Frogs and Toads

There are more than 4,100 species of frogs and toads, making
them the largest group of amphibians. The majority lives in tropi-
cal environments, mostly in or close to fresh water. In adulthood,
frogs and toads are characterized by the absence of a tail. The
frog’s hind limbs are much larger than their front limbs, enabling
them to jump very long distances.

There is much diversity among frogs and toads. There are species
that use their legs to swim, burrow into the soil, climb trees, and
glide through the air, in addition to jumping and crawling. The pri-
mary senses of frogs and toads are vision and hearing. Many frogs
and toads use loud calls to communicate with one another. Frogs
and toads typically lay their eggs in water. The eggs hatch into lar-
vae (tadpoles), which have spherical bodies and are herbivorous.
Adult frogs and toads are carnivorous, feeding mostly on insects.
They are generally only active at night.

The biologically inspired robot in this chapter is based on the frog
and its capability to achieve locomotion by jumping. This locomo-

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