This Robot Has Fat To Store Energy, Just Like Humans Do

A team of experts from the University of Michigan has taken clues from how humans store energy in the form of fat to create a robot that reserves its energy in the same way.

The ultimate goal of this project is to prolong the battery life of a robot by using "fat reserves" spread across its body, a method used by living beings. Another benefit of this way to store energy is that the battery can store far more energy than its traditional lithium-ion counterpart.

According to Nicholas Kotov, lead researcher of the project and engineering professor at the University of Michigan, robot designs are often restricted by the battery, which occupies at least 20% of the robot’s internal space. The power cell also contributes greatly to the overall weight of the machine.

The team said the new zinc battery could also boost the energy density.

As stated by Mingqiang Wang, first author of the paper about the project, the team estimated that if the robot’s exteriors were replaced by these fat reserves, it can hold up 72 times more power than having one single lithium-ion battery.

These fat reserves can be mounted on multiple places on the robot and serve different purposes.

Much like fat tissues in living beings’ bodies, they can double as a layer of protection for the robot’s internal parts.

Using a membrane coated with aramid nanofiber, hydroxide ions are passed between the air and a zinc electrode. These materials are more environmentally than those used in lithium-ion batteries and they are commonly found in water-based polymer gels and Kevlar vests.

However, this technology isn’t without drawbacks. This fat-reserve inspiring power-storing method can only work its best for around 100 charge cycles, falling short of its lithium-ion counterpart.

On the plus side, the experts behind this invention said replacing them was cheap and they can be recycled.

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