Robotics - Power source

At present mostly batteries are used as a power source. Different types of batteries can be used as a power source for robots. They range from lead acid batteries which are safe and have relatively long shelf lives but are rather heavy to silver cadmium batteries that are much smaller in volume and are currently much more expensive. To dessign a battery powered robot, we need to take into account factors such as safety, cycle lifetime and weight. Generators, can also be used.  A tether connecting the robot to a power supply would remove the power supply from the robot entirely. This has the advantage of saving weight and space by moving all power generation and storage components elsewhere. However, this design does come with the drawback of constantly having a cable connected to the robot, which can be difficult to manage. Potential power sources could be:

·         pneumatic (compressed gases)

·          hydraulics (liquids)

·         organic garbage (through anaerobic digestion)

·         faeces (human, animal); may be interesting in a military context as faeces of small combat groups may be reused for the energy requirements of the robot assistant