Low Power Microrobotics Utilizing Biologically Inspired Energy Generation

In this Phase I study, the study team will investigate the usability of a microbial fuel cell to power a small microrover, design low-power electronics for effective power management of this system, and develop an efficient low-power non-traditional locomotion system to propel the lightweight vehicle forward. Description: building a small microrover that employs energy generated by a bacterial source Objective: investigate the usability of a microbial fuel cell to power a small microrover, design low-power electronics for effective power management, and develop an efficient low-power non-traditional locomotion system to propel the light-weight vehicle forward The Naval Research Lab is developing a 1 kilogram microrover that utilizes a novel power system concept – bacteria! Certain microbes can be harvested to effectively change chemical sugars into electricity through a fuel cell, which can provide a higher power density than a traditional lithium-ion battery. This process will be used to slowly build up a storage of electricity, which will provide a burst of energy to the vehicle's novel hopping or rolling mobility system. In this Phase I study, the study team will investigate the usability of a microbial fuel cell to power a small microrover, design low-power electronics for effective power management of this system, and develop an efficient low-power non-traditional locomotion system to propel the lightweight vehicle forward. Small microrovers with this power system could one day support long-duration research studies on planetary surfaces without the need for large solar panels or complex power systems. (This is a project within the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts, NIAC, program.)

The Low Power Microrobotics (LPM) project is a NASA NIAC-funded multi-disciplinary research effort involving the research and advancement of low power electronics, low power mobility and their integration with state of the art microbial fuel cell for power generation. The goal of this project was to advance the capabilities of each of these systems with a 10-year future target of a near one kilogram space exploration vehicle that contains each of these systems.

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