A team of researchers at Cranfield University has built a new wind-powered robot designed to spend extended periods of time in hostile, windy environments, including deserts, polar regions or other planets.
According to its developers, WANDER-bot is a low-cost, 3D-printed robot that is powered by wind energy and that does not require a battery to power movement. This design reportedly enables longer operation as movement accounts for roughly 20% of battery use in most robots.
Source: Cranfield University
As such, WANDER-bot, which runs on natural energy, is ideal for long-term exploration or the mapping of unknown terrains.
Taking inspiration from Theo Jansen’s Strandbeest designs, WANDER-bot merges a Jansen linkage mechanism with a Savonius wind turbine to drive its movement.
"There are many challenges when it comes to robotic exploration," the team explained. "Battery capacity limits things like range, and technological complexity limits the ability to repair in an environment where human occupation would be minimal and their capability for manufacturing or maintenance is limited due to the harsh conditions."
"WANDER-bot is a first step towards low-cost, repairable, self-sufficient robots that can explore environments that are currently difficult for humans to reach and work in, such as other planets, or places on Earth where it's impractical for people to spend long periods of time," the team concluded.
For more on the WANDER-bot, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of Cranfield University.
