Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman

We present a design for an energetically autonomous artificial organism, combining two subsystems; a bio-inspired energy source and bio-inspired actuation. The work is the first demonstration of energetically autonomy in a microbial fuel cell (MFC)-powered, swimming robot taking energy from it's surrounding, aqueous environment. In contrast to previous work using stacked MFC power sources, the Row-bot employs a single microbial fuel cell as an artificial stomach and uses commercially available voltage step-up hardware to produce usable voltages. The energy generated exceeds the energy requirement to complete the mechanical actuation needed to refuel. Energy production and actuation are demonstrated separately with the results showing that the combination of these subsystems will produce closed-loop energetic autonomy. The work shows a crucial step in the development of autonomous robots capable of long term self-power. Bio-inspiration for the design of the Row-bot was taken from the water boatman beetle. This proof of concept study opens many avenues for the further development of the subsystems comprising the Row-bot, and the functionality of the robot itself.

[1]  Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment , 2008 .

[2]  Junyeong An,et al.  Shift of voltage reversal in stacked microbial fuel cells , 2015 .

[3]  Lee Jihong,et al.  Swimming Pattern Generator Based on Diving Beetles for Legged Underwater Robots , 2014 .

[4]  Jonathan Rossiter,et al.  The power of glove: Soft microbial fuel cell for low-power electronics , 2014 .

[5]  Jonathan Rossiter,et al.  Biodegradation and proton exchange using natural rubber in microbial fuel cells , 2013, Biodegradation.

[6]  Mingjun Zhang,et al.  Experimental Studies and Dynamics Modeling Analysis of the Swimming and Diving of Whirligig Beetles (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae) , 2012, PLoS Comput. Biol..

[7]  Chris Melhuish,et al.  EcoBot-III - A Robot with Guts , 2010, ALIFE.

[8]  Tian Zhang,et al.  Stimulating the anaerobic degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated sediments by providing an electrode as the electron acceptor. , 2010, Environmental microbiology.

[9]  Seiichi Sudo,et al.  Micro Swimming Robots Based on Small Aquatic Creatures , 2010 .

[10]  D. Pant,et al.  A review of the substrates used in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[11]  Bruce E Logan,et al.  Energy from algae using microbial fuel cells , 2009, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[12]  Genbank,et al.  APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY , 2008, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[13]  Tingyue Gu,et al.  A state of the art review on microbial fuel cells: A promising technology for wastewater treatment and bioenergy. , 2007, Biotechnology advances.

[14]  Helen K. White,et al.  Substrate Degradation Kinetics, Microbial Diversity, and Current Efficiency of Microbial Fuel Cells Supplied with Marine Plankton , 2007, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[15]  Chris Melhuish,et al.  Energetically autonomous robots: Food for thought , 2006, Auton. Robots.

[16]  L. Tender,et al.  Harvesting energy from the marine sediment--water interface. , 2008, Environmental science & technology.

[17]  L. Tender,et al.  Harvesting Energy from the Marine Sediment−Water Interface , 2001 .

[18]  Stuart Wilkinson,et al.  “Gastrobots”—Benefits and Challenges of Microbial Fuel Cells in FoodPowered Robot Applications , 2000, Auton. Robots.

[19]  Akira Azuma,et al.  The Biokinetics of Flying and Swimming , 1992 .

[20]  R. W. Blake,et al.  Hydrodynamics of swimming in the water boatman, Cenocorixa bifida , 1986 .

[21]  H. Mellanby.  Animal life in fresh water , 1939 .