What does energy conservation and robotics have in common?

   Robots and robotic controls use energy to run on. When attached to a wall outlet, the robot has an unlimited supply of energy so that conservation is not a key element in its continued operation. But when a robot is running on its own power source, conservation of its available energy needs to be controlled to make the robot run longer and replenish its resources when required.

   This is accomplished by understanding a few things. Motors use a lot of electricity when moving and some when holding the motor in a stall position to act like a brake. Chips and sensors use energy continuously. By using power management and redesigning the mechanical parts of the robot, energy can be conserved allowing the robot to run longer.

   A couple of things can make an electric motor more effective in conserving energy. Using a mechanical brake, that requires an electronic solenoid to release the brake, so that the motor can then be used. This is effective if the motor is not being used in a continuous fashion. Choosing the correct motor and style, like energy efficient, can help in conserving the available resource. There are motors that are specifically designed for solar applications.

    Electronic circuits, ICs and sensors, can be turned on only when needed to keep the utilization of resources down. Some controller chips offer power management so when there is a period of time the robot will be idle or the controller will not be needed, it can go into a sleep mode and draw less current than in full operation. LEDs that are used in optical sensors can be turned on only when needed.

   These same techniques can be used in all types of devices from home appliances to solar panels that track the sun for more effective collection.

WIND POWER

The TAMIYA Looping Wind Power Generator Set (#75021) is a great kit that demonstrates a car (included in the set) which can be charged by the wind generator.

To see a video of this: TAMIYA's WMV Video

FUEL CELLS

   The fuel cell uses an energy source to convert water into Hydrogen and Oxygen gases to store the energy. Then when needed, the gases pass through the cell and recombines back into water. During this the cell produces electrical current to run the motor.

Thames & Kosmos Fuel Cell X7 kit is a great kit to experiment and learn from. (Ages 10 and up)

SOLAR CARS

TAMIYA Solar Car Assembly Kit (#76001) is a great kit to experiment with gear ratios and the angle and intensity of solar light. Experiment under a variety of conditions (sunny, cloudy, etc.) and different gear ratios.

TAMIYA also make small Solar Car kits based on Solar Challenges.

HONDA Dream(#76504) based on the Honda Dream which made a strong third place finish in the 1993 World Solar Challenge in Australia using data learned from the Kyocera Blue Eagle.

Kyocera Blue Eagle(#76501) miniature recreation of the Kyocera Blue Eagle created by the Kyocera company and Kitami Kogyo University.

Toyota RaRa10(#76503) Debuting in the 1992 Solar Car Rally In Noto, Japan, the Toyota RaRa X introduced it's four-wheel design in the typically three-wheeled competition.

   Kits that we have available allow you to build projects with solar, wind, or fuel cells. Once you have learned the concepts and limitations of these power sources, they may be able to be incorporated into a robotic project that not only conserves energy but can also use a renewable source of energy.

What type of robot can you think of?