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The DARPA Robotics Challenge was a showcase for how very large, very expensive robots could potentially be useful in disaster recovery and high-risk environments. Humanoids are particularly capable in some very specific situations, but the rest of the time, they're probably overkill, and using smaller, cheaper, more specialized robots is much more efficient.
[...] Yesterday, DARPA announced a new program called SHRIMP: SHort-Range Independent Microrobotic Platforms. The goal is "to develop and demonstrate multi-functional micro-to-milli robotic platforms for use in natural and critical disaster scenarios." To enable robots that are both tiny and useful, SHRIMP will support fundamental research in the component parts that are the most difficult to engineer, including actuators, mobility systems, and power storage.
[...] One of our favorite things about DARPA programs like these is their competitive nature, and SHRIMP is no exception. Both components and integrated robots will compete in "a series of Olympic-themed competitions [for] multi-functional mm-to-cm scale robotic platforms," performing tasks "associated with maneuverability, dexterity, [and] manipulation." DARPA will be splitting the competition into two parts: one for actuators and power sources, and the other for complete robots.
[...] DARPA has US $32 million of funding to spread around across multiple projects for SHRIMP. Abstracts are due August 10, proposals are due September 26, and the competition could happen as early as March of next year.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday July 23 2018, @08:25PM (4 children)
At this size, the available energy will be a big problem.
Unless they drop the mobility and wireless communication requirements, that is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Monday July 23 2018, @10:29PM (3 children)
True. Still, we know it's possible - insects do it all the time and biological muscle is notoriously inefficient. We just need to develop micro-scale internal combustion engines and we're set :-/
(Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Monday July 23 2018, @11:17PM (2 children)
Yes, but they are able to use a fuel with higher energy density - mainly glucose.
For the present (Dec 2014 [stanford.edu]), there are two types** of fuel cells able to convert glucose that may be considered for the application:
Both of them have an overall efficiency so low that the equivalent power/energy density of the fuel are worse than the current electrolytic storage (batteries/supercapacitors); and those are clearly insufficient.
A possibility may exist in using other fuels... but I don't know to the present any technological attempt to miniaturize the cells (one problem - except for hydrogen fuel cells - all the other types will heat up or require higher temperatures to function).
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** The third one, using enzymatic catalysts, suffer from lifecycles of hours (before the enzymes are inactivated)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Tuesday July 24 2018, @03:26AM
it is an interesting point, that biology needs mitochondria to power the insects of the natural world.
Human physics needs to take a cue from the cambrian explosion for body design!!!
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Tuesday July 24 2018, @12:54PM
Diesel has roughly 1.5x the volumetric energy density of glucose, and 4x by mass. The problem is not the fuel, it's scaling down a reactor to utilize it effectively.