For the first time, scientists have developed a way to give robots complex instructions without using electricity, which could lead to smarter robots with more space in their “brains” for thinking.
This breakthrough, created by engineers at King’s College London, involves using fluid pressure to send commands to robots, mimicking how certain parts of the human body work.
This new technology could free up space in robots’ control systems, allowing them to perform more advanced tasks.
As a result, future robots may be able to handle more complicated challenges, like understanding their social environment or completing delicate tasks with greater precision.
According to Dr. Antonio Forte, a Senior Lecturer in Engineering at King’s College London and the lead researcher, this innovation could change the way robots are used in fields such as social care and manufacturing.
Published in the journal Advanced Science, this research also shows potential for robots to function in environments where electricity-powered devices cannot, such as in radioactive areas like Chernobyl or sensitive environments like MRI rooms.
Additionally, these electricity-free robots could be used in low-income countries where access to electricity is unreliable.
Currently, robots rely on computer chips and electricity to operate.
A central “brain” of software and algorithms translates information into actions that the robot’s hardware carries out. However, this can limit how efficiently the robot performs tasks, especially in “soft robotics,” where soft materials are used to create devices like robotic muscles.
These robots struggle with complex movements, such as grabbing objects, because hard electronic parts add strain to the system.
To solve this problem, the research team developed a reconfigurable circuit with an adjustable valve, which acts like a transistor in an electrical circuit. This valve uses pressure signals to control the robot’s movements, mimicking the way binary code works in computers. The result is a robot that can perform complex actions without needing electricity or constant instructions from its central control system.
By shifting the computational load to the robot’s hardware, this new system creates more space in the robot’s brain for complex thinking and decision-making. The next step for the researchers is to scale up their system and integrate it into larger robots, such as those used in power plant monitoring or other industrial tasks.
Mostafa Mousa, a postgraduate researcher and co-author of the study, explained that the future of robotics depends on improving both the brain and body of robots.
Without advancements in hardware, software improvements won’t make much of a difference. This new approach is just the beginning of creating smarter, more efficient robots with “intelligent” bodies.
