Row-bot:: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman

Jonathan Rossiter; Hemma Philamore; Andrew Stinchcombe; Ioannis Ieropoulos

doi:10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman

Jonathan Rossiter, Hemma Philamore, Andrew Stinchcombe, Ioannis Ieropoulos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Pages	3888-3893
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Print)	978147999934
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924
Publication status	Published - 28 Sept 2015

Publication series

Name	IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems
Publisher	IEEE
ISSN (Print)	2153-0858
ISSN (Electronic)	2153-0866

Structured keywords

Tactile Action Perception

Access to Document

10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

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Persistent link

Dr Hemma Philamore
- Hemma.Philamorebristol.acuk
- School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology - Lecturer
Person: Academic
Professor Jonathan M Rossiter
- Jonathan.Rossiterbristol.acuk
- School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology - Professor of Robotics
- Intelligent Systems Laboratory
Person: Academic , Member

Cite this

Rossiter, J., Philamore, H., Stinchcombe, A., & Ieropoulos, I. (2015). Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman. In Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) (pp. 3888-3893). (IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

Rossiter, Jonathan ; Philamore, Hemma ; Stinchcombe, Andrew et al. / Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman. Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2015. pp. 3888-3893 (IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems).

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title = "Row-bot:: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Jonathan Rossiter and Hemma Philamore and Andrew Stinchcombe and Ioannis Ieropoulos",

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doi = "10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924",

language = "English",

isbn = "978147999934",

series = "IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems",

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Rossiter, J , Philamore, H, Stinchcombe, A & Ieropoulos, I 2015, Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman. in Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), pp. 3888-3893. https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman. / Rossiter, Jonathan ; Philamore, Hemma; Stinchcombe, Andrew et al.
Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2015. p. 3888-3893 (IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

TY - GEN

T1 - Row-bot:

T2 - An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman

AU - Rossiter, Jonathan

AU - Philamore, Hemma

AU - Stinchcombe, Andrew

AU - Ieropoulos, Ioannis

PY - 2015/9/28

Y1 - 2015/9/28

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

DO - 10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

SN - 978147999934

T3 - IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems

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BT - Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

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Rossiter J , Philamore H, Stinchcombe A, Ieropoulos I. Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman. In Proceedings of 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 2015. p. 3888-3893. (IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems). doi: 10.1109/IROS.2015.7353924

Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman

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Dr Hemma Philamore

Professor Jonathan M Rossiter

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