华盛顿大学的研究人员们宣布，他们成功研发出了一款名为 MilliMobile 的微型机器人，可以实现无电池的自动驾驶。这款机器人可以背起 3 倍于自重的设备，并在极低的功率下运行。它采用薄膜电容来存储太阳光或无线电波带来的能量，当电容存储的能量达到一定阈值时，就能驱动电机产生一个短暂的运动脉冲，让机器人动起来。
MilliMobile 具备各种传感能力，包括光电二极管用于检测光强度、微型相机用于捕捉环境视图、加速度计、磁传感器、气体传感器等，能够自主寻找光源进行充电，创建更详细的环境视图。在软件层面优化同步传输协议后，它能在 200 米范围内传输数据。
该机器人可以用于检测气体泄漏、跟踪仓储等工业任务。研究人员表示，MilliMobile 虽然速度不快，但只要它能以这种方式持续运行，就能为那些难以通过部署传感器来获取数据的区域带来新的机器人能力。
科技网站评价说，MilliMobile 或有科幻照进现实的味道。这款机器人背负着各种传感器，可以自主收集能量进行充电，在供电、控制和通信等方面都实现了自主性。
新闻翻译：
Title: Battery-free autonomous self-driving robot developed by Washington University
Keywords: battery-free, autonomous, light and radio waves
News content:
Researchers at the University of Washington have announced the successful development of a microbot called MilliMobile that can achieve autonomous driving without a battery. This tiny robot can carry equipment three times heavier than itself and can run at extremely low power consumption. It uses a thin film capacitor to store energy from sunlight or radio waves, and when the energy stored in the capacitor reaches a certain threshold, it can drive a brief movement pulse to make the robot move.
MilliMobile is equipped with various sensing capabilities, including photoelectric devices for detecting light intensity, a small camera for capturing environmental views, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, and gas sensors, allowing it to autonomously search for light sources for charging and create more detailed environmental views. With optimizations to the synchronization transmission protocol at the software level, it can transmit data up to 200 meters.
This robot can be used for tasks such as detecting gas leaks and tracking storage. Researchers said that MilliMobile, although it runs at a speed that is not fast, can still bring new robot capabilities to areas that are difficult to deploy sensors for data collection.
Tech websites have praised MilliMobile for having a sci-fi feel to it. This robot is equipped with various sensors and can autonomously collect energy for charging. It has achieved autonomy in terms of power supply, control, and communication.
【来源】https://www.ithome.com/0/722/769.htm
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