5 ms·
Yes, exactly like regeneration. However it's a highly multifaceted problem to optimize. Batteries, capacitors, drivers, motors and drivetrains all have very p
by hwillis 9y ago
Yes, exactly like regeneration. However it's a highly multifaceted problem to optimize. Batteries, capacitors, drivers, motors and drivetrains all have very picky efficiency regimes. Grease is very inefficient at low torques or high speeds, since it's shear-thinning and viscous. Motors have to have their voltage, current, field strength, size and a few other aspects all optimized. You run the gamut from metallurgy to fluid dynamics to chemistry to EM fields. It requires tons of high performance custom parts.
That said a few groups have done it. Heavily optimized drivetrains can be ~96% efficient at the right speed and torque. Extremely precise drivers can regen at 98%+. If you charge gently enough batteries can be 98%. 88.5% total efficiency. That's extremely good, enough to reduce power consumption by 8.7 times.
It's better than a human but not quite as good as an insulated spring.
- Animats 9y agoIt requires tons of high performance custom parts. Yes. Which is the big problem with robotics. No volume and high tooling cost. With enough money, something like Big Dog or Atlas can be built, with large numbers of custom moving parts. But the price tag is in 8 figures. Other than the industrial robot arm people and the vacuum cleaner people, nobody is making money in robotics. (Well, the individuals who were bought out by Google exited OK, but overall, the Google thing was a lose.)
- sbierwagen 9y agoOther than the industrial robot arm people and the vacuum cleaner people, nobody is making money in robotics. There are modest amounts of money being made in educational mobile robotics. (Lego, VEX, the FIRST consortium) FIRST robots are moderately interesting, but cost something like $5K-$10K each. VEX and Lego robots are cheaper, but are basically toys. (I work with VEX) Think erector sets with microcontrollers bolted on. Press video for the 2016 VEX World Championships. Thousands of people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y1YiGZv_F4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y1YiGZv_F4