China’s Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai) Robotics Institute has successfully developed a new type of robot. Different from conventional robots, this robot is the first to use microwave drive directly, providing a new way for robot drive.
Microwave refers to electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300MHz and 300GHz. Compared with wireless actuation methods such as magnetic field, light, ultrasound and humidity, microwaves can penetrate certain non-transparent obstacles without loss, such as cement, ceramics, plastics, etc. Wait. At the same time, using phased array technology, microwaves can also achieve non-mechanical rapid steering and focusing.
Microwave-driven robots come out: no need to carry electrical devices
It is understood that the research team of Harbin Institute of Technology used microwaves with a frequency of 2.47GHz and a power of 700W emitted by a pyramid horn antenna to drive the robot, and realized the quantitative control of the joint motion of multiple drives.
Meanwhile, they designed a quadruped crawling robot using a telescoping actuator based on wires and shape memory alloy springs. The robot is 15mm long and weighs only 0.42g, demonstrating the advantages of microwave-actuated robots in miniaturization and light weight.
The research team has long been committed to the research on soft robots, soft sensors and intelligent material drives, and will continue to carry out research on microwave drives to improve the frequency control capability of microwave drives and reduce power consumption, so as to control and operate microcomputers in closed containers. Device development and other aspects have been applied.
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