The power source of a mobile robot is one of the key components that determines a robot’s performance and operation time, and significantly contributes to the overall weight and price.
Energy storage systems are highly dependent on the size of the robot and the intended use environment.
Current trends in robot applications—state of the art and perspectives—can be described very briefly: it is difficult for mobile robots to achieve human or animal performance due to the lack of motors and gears that effectively match the power per unit of muscles.To match the agility of an animal, new actuators and materials are required, including those that change dimensions in response to applied voltage (electroshapable materials), and new power technologies.
So, even with such motors and gears available, a precise power control technology is a must to match the working power request. Based on this, a power control technology is more crucial than a power source battery. What do you think?
Control systems of all modern robots rely on electronics. This implies the need for electrical energy sources in every design. Depending on the control problem complexity, the power source needs to be sized accordingly. The largest energy consumption in robots is related to the locomotion and manipulatory functions. Therefore, energy conversion from the primary movers’ power source to the electric power source fulfilling the control system’s requirement is often employed.
