Malcom Burrows of Cambridge has been studying the mechanics and neural control of jumping insects. He discovered that the spittlebug (also known as a froghopper in the UK) can jump farther and faster than any other known insect, pulling up to 400 Gs without blacking out as it accelerates to 3 meters per second. Robert J. Full of Berkeley, one of the creaters of RHex, hopes to apply some of the Burrows' discoveries about the spittlebug to his legged robot designs. More details on Burrows' research can be found in a SFGate.com article or at NewScientist.com.