Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new, tiny, self-driving robot. The robot, called the MilliMobile, is powered by ambient light or radio waves, allowing it to run indefinitely on its own power. This breakthrough could have a major impact on the use of small mobile robots in applications as diverse as gas leak containment or warehouse inventory tracking.
Mobile robots usually require a lot of power, and batteries, a typical power source, have limitations in terms of lifetime and environmental concerns. MilliMobile researchers aimed to find an alternative energy source that would address these issues.
The MilliMobile robot is about the size of a dime and weighs the same as a raisin. It can travel about 30 feet (10 meters) in an hour, even on a cloudy day. The robot can move over surfaces such as concrete or packed soil and carry nearly three times its weight, such as a camera or sensors.
The robot uses a light sensor to automatically move towards light sources, applying the concept of intermittent computing to the movement. By breaking down complex programs into small steps, the robot can work incrementally, using small pulses of energy to turn its wheels. This efficient use of energy allows the robot to run continuously.
The team tested the MilliMobile both indoors and outdoors in a variety of environments, even in very low light. The robots were able to control themselves using built-in sensors and small computing chips. They were programmed to move towards a light source using built-in light sensors.
MilliMobile is equipped with light, temperature and humidity sensors, as well as Bluetooth capabilities for data transmission. In the future, the researchers plan to add more sensors and improve data exchange between swarms of these robots.
This research offers exciting possibilities for the use of small, self-driving robots in areas where other sensors have difficulty generating nuanced data. The ability to continuously operate and navigate autonomously can change different industries.
Source: University of Washington
after navigation
2023-09-30 06:59:20
#selfdriving #robot #powered #ambient #light #radio #waves
