3D-printed ‘MARS’ rover powered by photosynthetic energy

1 February 2022, University of the West of England researchers using3D printingTechnology has created a spherical rover that can be powered entirely using photosynthesis. The Marimo-Driven Rover System, or “MARS,” consists of algae balls encapsulated within a PLA shell, a structure capable of accumulating enough oxygen in a given area to allow the rover to roll in that direction. Using this “rotational torque” phenomenon, the team says, their system can move autonomously, potentially making it ideal for bringing sensors into places humans can’t.

Photosynthetic power supply

According to the researchers, many conventional rovers used to enter extreme environments suffer from “stability and autonomous operation under uncertain conditions.” The team improved on existing designs and developed a potential way to make their power supply more self-sufficient. In nature, photosynthesis can harvest solar energy organically,
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The body harvests the tube energy from sunlight as an ideal power source for a reliably propelled rover. The study found that chloroplasts in green plants that achieve this goal have a maximum photosynthetic efficiency of 36 percent. Therefore, in order to fully optimize the photosynthesis process, the team proposes to “combine photosynthesis with ergonomics” to produce a new type of autonomous rover that can not only navigate remotely, but also does not require constant refueling.

“MARS” Marimo Ball

Essentially, the researchers’ photosynthesis-driven approach draws on Marimo algae, which naturally congregate in freshwater rivers. In nature, plant life rises and falls observably between ocean currents, as its filamentous structure and naturally occurring internal compartments attract air bubbles that periodically lift it to the surface and then dissipate, causing the underlying Shen.When integrating algae into the part
Ultimaker
When S5-3D printed spheres, photosynthesis in these spheres asymmetrically produced enough oxygen to move the device.

“Marimo Ball is spherical, which facilitates free movement in three-dimensional space,” the scientists explain in their paper. “The low density of the gas compared to water means that the gas rises as bubbles to minimize its overall potential energy (PE). As the volume of the trapped gas increases over time, the peak rotational torque increases until Achieving motion. Likewise, the researchers found that those containing split Marimo spheres in a pentagonal enclosure achieved the best gas release, while their fastest iterations were able to travel at 275 millimeters per hour.

“Potential applications of the MARS platform include all work that is not sensitive to movement speed,” the scientists concluded in their paper. “For example, strategic water sampling and water quality monitoring, inspection of deep underground mines, underwater bioprospecting, fish population research and control or ecological research.

Autonomous 3D printed vehicles

With the development of 3D printing and super wear-resistant materials, the application of this technology in the production of all-terrain vehicles is also growing, and the design of all-terrain vehicles is strong enough to be applied in many extreme environments. At the end of last year, Lockheed Martin used MakerBot 3D printing to develop and test an artificially intelligent lunar rover. Designed for deployment during NASA’s return to the moon mission, the vehicle’s system housing and sensor mounts are made of durable ABS, which is said to make it UV, heat and moisture resistant. Meanwhile, at Tianjin University in China, researchers have proposed a 3D-printed tube-climbing robot developed for mobility on land. Featuring an array of flexible bending mechanisms and modular grippers, the tiny robot is able to climb up oddly shaped infrastructure and repair otherwise inaccessible pipes.

(responsible editor: admin)