As we all know, most animals only perform tricks when given treats. However, Kim, the world's first spider to learn a skill, needs no stimulus (刺激物) to do what she loves—jumping from different heights and distances—upon the instruction of a team of scientists from the University of Manchester.
While the idea of training a spider might sound evil, the researchers' motives were purely scientific. They tried to unlock the secrets behind the jumping spiders' extraordinarily high leaps to catch prey (猎物) or to escape their enemies. A better understanding of the spiders' leaps would help experts develop more efficient flying and jumping robots.
The scientists found that Kim could gather enough force in her legs to jump more than six times the length of her own body from a stationary position. What was even more amazing was that she always landed perfectly. For shorter distances, Kim used a lot of energy, resulting in quick leaps, which the researchers believe probably increases her chances of catching fast－moving prey. The farther the distance was, the less extra energy was used, resulting in slower but precise leaps.
Previous studies have indicated that spiders use both their muscles and hydraulic (液压的) pressure—a mechanism by which blood is transferred to their extended legs—to push them off the ground. However，in Kim's case, her leg muscles alone appeared to be generating enough force for the lift－off. The researchers now intend to do further research to comprehend fully not just the spiders' jumping technique, but that of other insects as well. "We are familiar with robots that are aimed at taking over human functions, but there are millions of insects in the world that perform specific functions that we have interest in adapting to robotics," says Nabawy, the leading engineer of the researching team.
