25Dhttp://www.google.co.in/search?um=1&hl=en&biw=1341&bih=581&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=zR1G
UK_cM9HprQef_IGQAg&ved=0CEYQvwUoAQ&q=Hopstep+%26+Jump&spell=1#um=1&hl=en&biw
=1341&bih=581&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=2h5GUIueDImzrAfY9oCgAg&ved=0CEMQvwUoAQ&q=Jesse
+Owens+Broad+Jump&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=5bdaadba78e08da4 ; Sept. 4, 2012)

The characteristic of flea jumping has amazed people for thousands years. The mechanism and jumping characteristics is being studied by human beings for centuries. The invention and the operation of catapult from the time of Roman Empire are being designed based on flea’s jumping characteristics and mechanism. 

The angle of the flea leg (plate 26A) stores enormous energy before the jumping. It is extremely critical to store such energy before the final jump. The long hairy legs firmly hold the ground before the jump and take the flight in 45 degree (plate 26B&C). You can observe the record breaking jumping technique of Jesse Owens (plate 26D) that almost mimics the same as flea jumping. The angle of Owens’s leg and the energy that bursting through air for 26 feet plus became an historic event in Long Jump at the Berlin Olympics. Thus, the jumping shows the critical angle of spring like elasticity.

Fleas are small (1/16 to 1/8-inch (1.5 to 3.3 mm) long), agile, usually dark colored (for example, the reddish-brown of the cat flea), wingless insects with tube-like mouth-parts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. Their bodies are laterally compressed (human anatomical terms), permitting easy movement through the hairs or feathers on the host's body (or in the case of humans, under clothes). Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping (vertically up to seven inches (18 cm); horizontally thirteen inches (33 cm)- around 200 times their own body length, making the flea one of the best jumpers of all known animals (in comparison to body size), second only to the froghopper.

• Fleas can live for about 100 days.
• Fleas do not fly. They jump from one place to another.
• A pair of fleas can produce 400-500 offspring in their lifetime.
• A flea can jump up to 8 inches high. That is 150 times its own height. If you could do this, you'd be able to leap over even tall skyscrapers!

(Read more: http://www.aboutbugsbugsbugs.com/fleas/biology.htm ; Sept. 5, 2012)

Assignment #01: Design a toy using Flea Jumping technique.

Mention the followings-mention the age group,steps,material used and durability.