Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Scientists create a robot the size of a beetle powered by methanol

Scientists have long been trying to make small robots capable of entering environments that are inaccessible or too dangerous for humans, but until now they have not been able to provide them with the necessary energy for their movement.
A team at the University of Southern California has achieved that goal, creating an 88-milligram robot, the "RoBeetle," that runs on methanol and uses an artificial muscular system to crawl, climb, and carry weight for up to two hours.

The beetle-shaped device is just 15 millimeters long, making it one of the lightest and smallest autonomous robots ever created, its inventor Xiufeng Yang told AFP.

We wanted to create a robot that is similar in size and weight to real insects, added Yang, the lead author of a paper published Wednesday in the journal Science Robotics describing the invention.

The problem with the manufacture of these types of devices is that most robots need motors that are heavy and need electricity, which requires adding batteries.

The smallest batteries available weigh between 10 and 20 times what a tiger beetle weighs, a 50-milligram insect that the team used as a reference.

To overcome that stumbling block, Yang and his colleagues devised an artificial muscular system based on liquid fuel, in this case methanol, that stores about 10 times more energy than a battery of the same size.

Those muscles are made up of wires made of a nickel-titanium alloy whose length contracts when heated, unlike most metals, which expand at higher temperatures.

The creators of the RoBeetle covered those cables with platinum powder that acts as a catalyst for the combustion of methanol vapor.

As the vapor from the robot's fuel tanks burns into platinum powder, the cable contracts and a set of microvalves closes to stop combustion.

The cable then cools and expands, which reopens the valves. The process is repeated until the methanol reservoir is exhausted.

The contraction and expansion movement of these cables is connected to the front legs of the RoBeetle through a transmission mechanism that allows it to crawl.

The team tested their robot on flat, sloping surfaces made of smooth materials, like glass, or rough, like the top of a mattress.

RoBeetle can carry up to 2.6 times its weight and run for two hours on a full tank, Yang explained.

For comparison, the smallest four-legged battery-powered robot weighs one gram and runs for about 12 minutes.

In the future, these minirobots may be used for tasks such as infrastructure inspection, rescue missions after natural disasters or for artificial pollinations.

Robotics experts Ryan Truby and Shuguang Li, from MIT and Harvard University respectively, noted in a written comment that the RoBeetle is an exciting achievement for micro-robotics, although they assured that it still has room for improvement.

The absence of electronics in the robot and the fact that it can only move forward reduces its ability to carry out sophisticated tasks, they noted.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×