The robot is made of soft material, so that it looks like a real fish as much as possible.
Scientists from Yale University have developed a unique robot that, instead of the usual battery, is powered by a “blood circulation” system, writes Interesting Engineering. It is not real blood that flows through the circulatory system, of course, but a special fluid that pulsates and sets the body in motion.
This approach allowed to reduce the weight of the robot, because the battery significantly increased the weight of the entire structure. The “circulatory” system had a positive effect on the maneuverability of the bot as a whole. The engineers responsible for developing this robotic fish call the fluid supply system the “electrolytic vascular system” and they claim that this approach makes the robot somewhat animal-like.
“The power system is one of the most important limitations to the autonomy of robots, but this can be corrected if the battery is replaced with a similar” circulatory “system,” the team members say.
Robot fish with circulatory system
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The scientists’ goal is to kick-start robotics by creating a self-regulating energy source that all living things have. If robots can be equipped with a similar circulatory system, then they can get greater autonomy and the same flexibility that humans have. This will maximize the emergence of androids in the near future, as described in the novels of many science fiction writers, the researchers say.
Already, Yale University scientists are working on a special synthetic “blood” that they will use to “revitalize” robots in terms of energy efficiency.
Previously, Focus wrote that scientists have created the perfect robot dog: where the RaiBo model can come in handy.
