Insect robots with ion-powered engines. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Insect robots with ion-powered engines

01.02.2019

Nature has many interesting inventions that a person is not ashamed to copy and use in everyday life. Millions of years of evolution have created a miracle of everything that surrounds us. A person is trying to bring some of this experience into the world of robotic technology, for example, considering it valuable for creating flying insect robots. As a consequence, dragonfly robots or bee robots appear. However, the difficulty of scaling the flywheels and, as a result, the decrease in controllability makes it necessary to look for other non-natural sources of lift for miniature aircraft.

Scientists from the University of California at Berkeley have proposed using ion propulsion for insect-scale robots. The principle of operation of such ion engines is that positively charged ions (mainly nitrogen) rush from electrodes under a very high voltage to a lattice with an opposite charge. Along the way, the ions involve in the process neutral molecules from the air, which fly through the lattice and create thrust. Such engines are silent and capable of lifting a certain useful weight, but, unfortunately, require significant energy reserves.

A flying prototype of an ion-powered platform was created in the laboratory of the university. The dimensions of the sides of the robot are 2 cm and the weight of the structure is 30 mg. Another 36 mg weighs the power controller of the emitting electrodes. The voltage on the electrodes reaches 2000 V, although the current strength is only 3,5 mA. 7 wires are connected to the experimental platform, through which power and control are carried out. The principle of control is simple - one of the four arrays of electrodes is turned off in the required sequence, after which the tilt and movement in the desired direction occurs.

In the future, scientists plan to improve the platform to complete autonomy of control, with the exception of power. In the foreseeable future, none of them are waiting for the appearance of sufficiently powerful, capacious and miniature autonomous power supplies to be placed directly on the platform. But control can be given to the robot, for which it is planned to create a special controller and equip the robot with optical and other sensors.

<< Back: Traces of a collision of two super-Earths discovered 02.02.2019

>> Forward: inflatable tablets 01.02.2019

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

The capacity of lithium-ion batteries will increase by a third 13.04.2013

The new technology allows a 30% increase in the capacity of lithium-ion batteries. The developer expects that the technology will be of interest to manufacturers of smartphones and other gadgets, as it will reduce their size and weight.

The American startup EnerG2 has started the production of electrodes from the so-called "solid carbon". It allows you to increase the capacity of a lithium-ion battery without significant design changes and the introduction of new manufacturing processes, according to Technology Review. According to representatives of EnerG2, the carbon electrode (in this case, the anode, the positive electrode in the battery) allows you to increase battery capacity by up to 30%. The EnerG2 electrode is made of carbon with an amorphous structure, in which the atoms are not ordered, unlike graphite with its crystalline structure, a traditional material for making anodes. Such a material can store 50% more energy per unit of its surface than graphite.

Lead-acid batteries and capacitor parts were the first products to use the new technology. However, both products represent relatively narrow segments compared to the lithium-ion battery market. According to EnerG2 CEO Rick Luebbe, the disadvantage of the material described is that the battery loses its capacity the first time the battery is charged. The startup managed to reduce the size of this loss to a value acceptable for the manufacture of commercial products.

It is worth considering that the cost of an anode made of solid carbon is about 20% higher compared to graphite. For this reason, this technology is unlikely to be able to afford manufacturers of batteries for electric vehicles, analysts say. As for manufacturers of electronic gadgets, they may well pay extra to make devices thinner and lighter.

In addition to batteries, EnerG2 is exploring other uses for solid carbon, including storing natural gas at lower pressures. In 2010, the company received a grant from the state in the amount of $21 million, for which, among other things, the plant was built.

Making electrodes from solid carbon is one possible way to increase battery capacity. For example, VC-backed Envia Systems and Amprius have proposed the use of silicon in electrodes, which has also led to higher capacitance. However, according to EnerG2 representatives, silicon electrodes offer fewer recharge cycles and require design changes.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews