Locomotory Control of Roach-Bots with an Alternative Energy Source
Abstract
In the world, people often have to cope with unfortunate events like natural disasters collapsing buildings. During such events, first responders are the first to provide assistance and may make use of technological tools like search and rescue robots that can map disaster areas, locate survivors, or rescue the survivors from specific areas. Such state-of-the-art tools could be limited by their size as large robots cannot go through narrow confined locations such as an under-rubble area. The alternative solution in such scenarios could be biological robots (biobots) or cyborg insects remotely controlled through neurostimulation pulses applied to electrodes implanted into their antennae. These invertebrates are alive and equipped with a small battery-powered electronic payload or backpack programmed to sense the surroundings or locate survivors in enclosed locations. A possible problem with these biobots is the limited lifespan of their batteries. A battery with increased size or capacity could restrict their movement or locomotion due to the added weight. A substitute solution could be in the form of solar cells to charge the battery under direct sunlight or an artificial light source. However, charging may not be possible in an under-rubble area. This work investigates the use of piezoelectric sensors to potentially resolve the power situation. As the insect travels through the world, vibrations from their locomotion and their interaction with their environment could help the piezoelectric sensors power the electronic backpack. This would extend the operational lifespan of the conventional battery that would otherwise power the backpack.