Power Sources for Small Robots

Abstract

This report is a discussion, evaluation and comparison of potential sources of electrical power for small mobile systems. Power sources are an inevitable challenge in the design of portable and small mobile systems, especially robotic systems. Power systems cannot be an afterthought and, if left to final design stages, can result in severe and adverse effects on the system, such as excess weight, size, heat and operational limitations. Power system alternatives investigated include batteries, fuel cells and generators, thermoelectric generators, supercapacitors, flywheels and even non-storage options such as tethers. This report presents general principles and provides a means to compare and evaluate different technologies for their particular application. In particular, comparisons are provided in the context of Ragone diagrams to illustrate the capabilities of the different technologies.