Title: Skippy: Reaching for the Performance Envelope Abstract: Skippy is an extremely simple hopping and balancing machine that is currently still at the design stage. The objective of the Skippy project is to create a robot with an exceptionally high physical performance, which can safely push itself all the way to its performance limits. The machine will weigh about 2kg, stand approximately 1m high when fully stretched, and hop to a height of 4m. It will also be able to hop in all directions, somersault, tumble, balance on a point, pirouette, land on a target spot, bow, lie down and get back up again, crash land from 4m without sustaining damage, bounce off walls, hop up and down stairs, and many more activities, all in full 3D, unaided, and with no umbilical or safety harness. This talk will explain how it is possible to design such an athletic prodigy, and some of the lessons learned from the design process so far.