Researchers have created a robot made ice to be durable and efficient in environments where ice is plentiful. The robot’s body is actually made from blocks of ice. (Image credit: GRASP Lab)
NASA and JPL put a lot of work into their planetary exploration robots, but no matter how advanced they are, they inevitably breakdown. These robots aren’t made for repair, and even if they could repair themselves, the planets they roam lack the materials and tools needed. So how can we solve this problem? Solar power has been used since it’s available just about everywhere. A team of scientists poses one solution: ice.
A team of scientists recently presented their concept for IceBot at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). And it’s exactly what it sounds like, a robot made of ice. Designed to look like a mini rover, the robot’s body is made of ice blocks. Of course, the batteries and other electronics can’t be made of ice, and though it’s durable, it won’t be as efficient as titanium, carbon fiber, and other structural materials.
But why ice? IceBot is designed to operate in environments where ice is plentiful with temperatures cold enough to not destabilize its structure. It also needs to be cold enough to make sure the robot’s internal heat won’t melt its own icy body.
The team studied different methods of manufacturing the robot’s structural components from ice using both additive and subtractive processes, like molding, 3D printing, and CNC machining. They found cutting the ice with a drill to be the most energy-efficient and most effective method. With the pieces in shape, they placed the actuators in the ice and froze them in place.
Though it’s a proof of concept, the robot was able to successfully move around without falling apart, even at room temperatures. Still, a lot of work needs to be done before IceBot can realize some of that self-reconfiguration, self-replication, and self-repair capabilities, but researchers are currently working on it. For the next steps, the team wants to develop an end effector that will make it easier to manipulate the blocks of ice without permanently deforming them via screw holes or similar connection methods.
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