Multifunctional Wings with Flexible Batteries and Solar Cells for Robotic Birds

Holness, Alex; Perez-Rosado, Ariel; Bruck, Hugh A.; Peckerar, M.; Gupta, Satyandra K.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-41543-7_20

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…A simple example is the use of lead-acid batteries in forklifts as counterbalance for lifting heavy loads 11 . More sophisticated Embodied Energy examples include structural batteries in satellites 12 , spacecraft 13 and electric vehicles 4,14 , lithium-polymer batteries that function as wings in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) 9 , pliable, biomorphic zinc-air batteries that can serve as protective covers for robots 15 , and flexible galvanic thin-film batteries in flapping wing aerial vehicles (FWAVs) 16 . In the latter example, the use of embodied electrical energy sources increased the operating time of an FWAV by 250% relative to designs using standard batteries and conventional wing materials.…”

Section: Electrical To Mechanical Transductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vibration or motion-driven microgenerators, such as piezoelectric generators, and photovoltaic cells are among the most mature energy harvesting technologies 109 , making them obvious choices to complement robotic Embodied Energy systems. Solar energy in particular has been used to power an assortment of semi-autonomous machinery, including agricultural robots, UAVs 16 , microrobots 110 , and spacecraft, but environmental variability and limitations in power density and efficiency (typically, efficiency α ~ 8-35% 62 ) do restrict this application space. Triboelectric generators, 111 have demonstrated impressive power densities (Γ = 490 kW m -3 ) 112 , and produce high voltages that can power electrically responsive materials with large internal impedances, like DEAs 113 .…”

Section: Energy Harvestingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Towards enduring autonomous robots via embodied energy

Aubin

Gorissen

Milana

et al. 2022

Nature

130

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Autonomous robots are comprised of actuation, energy, sensory, and control systems built from materials and structures that are not necessarily designed and integrated for multifunctionality. Yet, humans and other animals that robots strive to emulate contain highly sophisticated and interconnected systems at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels, which allow multiple functions to be performed simultaneously. Here, we examine how nature builds to establish a new paradigm for autonomous robots with Embodied Energy. Currently, most untethered robots use batteries to store energy and power their operation. To extend their operating time, additional battery blocks must be added in tandem with supporting structures, increasing their weight and reducing their efficiency. Recent advancements in energy storage techniques enable chemical or electrical energy sources to be embodied directly within the materials and mechanical systems used to create robots. This perspective highlights emerging examples of Embodied Energy, focusing on the design and fabrication of enduring autonomous robots.

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Section: Electrical To Mechanical Transductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Energy Harvestingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards enduring autonomous robots via embodied energy

Aubin

Gorissen

Milana

et al. 2022

Nature

130

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As such, they can reduce the cost of transport of vehicles, mobile robots or any self-propelling machine. Structural batteries have been suggested for implementation in electric vehicles, aircraft (including drones [106] but also robotic birds [107]) and spacecraft [108].…”

Section: Structural Batteriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selecting Suitable Battery Technologies for Untethered Robot

et al. 2023

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Untethered robots carry their own power supply in the form of a battery pack, which has a crucial impact on the robot’s performance. Although battery technologies are richly studied and optimized for applications such as electric vehicles, computers and smartphones, they are often a mere afterthought in the design process of a robot system. This tutorial paper proposes criteria to evaluate the suitability of different battery technologies for robotic applications. Taking into consideration the requirements of different applications, the capabilities of relevant battery technologies are evaluated and compared. The tutorial also discusses current limitations and new technological developments, pointing out opportunities for interdisciplinary research between the battery technology and robotics communities.

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“…With onboard powering and actuation units, wireless miniature robots with body sizes at the centimeter scale have been developed. Some of the earliest notable examples include wireless mobile robots powered by rigid batteries (24) or structural batteries (25)(26)(27), where the load-bearing components of the robot also serve as an electrical power source (28). These centimeter-scale robots can hardly be scaled down to millimeter scale because of the presence of onboard batteries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wireless flow-powered miniature robot capable of traversing tubular structures

Hong,

Wu,

Wang

et al. 2024

Sci. Robot.

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Wireless millimeter-scale robots capable of navigating through fluid-flowing tubular structures hold substantial potential for inspection, maintenance, or repair use in nuclear, industrial, and medical applications. However, prevalent reliance on external powering constrains these robots’ operational range and applicable environments. Alternatives with onboard powering must trade off size, functionality, and operation duration. Here, we propose a wireless millimeter-scale wheeled robot capable of using environmental flows to power and actuate its long-distance locomotion through complex pipelines. The flow-powering module can convert flow energy into mechanical energy, achieving an impeller speed of up to 9595 revolutions per minute, accompanied by an output power density of 11.7 watts per cubic meter and an efficiency of 33.7%. A miniature gearbox module can further transmit the converted mechanical energy into the robot’s locomotion system, allowing the robot to move against water flow at an average rate of up to 1.05 meters per second. The robot’s motion status (moving against/with flow or pausing) can be switched using an external magnetic field or an onboard mechanical regulator, contingent on different proposed control designs. In addition, we designed kirigami-based soft wheels for adaptive locomotion. The robot can move against flows of various substances within pipes featuring complex geometries and diverse materials. Solely powered by flow, the robot can transport cylindrical payloads with a diameter of up to 55% of the pipe’s diameter and carry devices such as an endoscopic camera for pipeline inspection, a wireless temperature sensor for environmental temperature monitoring, and a leak-stopper shell for infrastructure maintenance.

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Multifunctional Wings with Flexible Batteries and Solar Cells for Robotic Birds

Cited by 6 publications

References 31 publications

Towards enduring autonomous robots via embodied energy

Towards enduring autonomous robots via embodied energy

Selecting Suitable Battery Technologies for Untethered Robot

Wireless flow-powered miniature robot capable of traversing tubular structures

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