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Achieving animal endurance in robots through advanced energy storage
Yichao Shi1,2, James H Pikul1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Abstract:
Bioinspired mobile robots move with comparable efficiency to their animal counterparts but lag by more than an order of magnitude in system-level energy density because of battery limitations. This Review quantifies this energy gap, evaluates hardware strengths and current battery weaknesses, and proposes benchmarking frameworks for future technologies. Using Spot as a case study, we identify the battery chemistries needed to match the energy storage in animals and propose technologies to unleash robotic endurance.

