MIT engineers develop tiny zinc-air batteries to power cell-sized robots
MIT engineers have made a major breakthrough with the creation of a zinc-air microbattery, a device so small it’s just 0.1 millimeter long and 0.002 millimeters thick, about the width of a human hair. This innovative battery uses oxygen from the air to oxidize zinc, generating up to 1 volt of power. This significant advancement could transform the capabilities of cell-sized robots, allowing them to perform tasks such as delivering drugs inside the human body and detecting gas leaks in pipelines.
Small batteries, big impact
The new battery design addresses a major challenge in robotics: powering extremely small devices. Traditional robots often rely on external light or laser sources for their power, which limits their mobility and functionality. By integrating the power source directly into the robots, MIT’s zinc-air batteries provide the autonomy needed to operate these devices independently. Michael Strano, lead author of the studyemphasizes the impact of this development: “We are building robotic functions on the battery and starting to assemble these components into devices.”
Improving the capabilities of robots
The research team, led by Ge Zhang and Sungyun Yang, has shown that these batteries can power a range of robotic components. These include actuators that move robotic arms, memristors for memory storage, and sensors that detect chemicals. The vision for these tiny robots includes their potential use in medical applications, such as injecting them into the human body to deliver drugs like insulin. They could also be used in industrial settings to monitor and respond to changes in the environment.
Future prospects
Looking ahead, the MIT team plans to integrate the batteries directly into robotic devices, moving beyond the current prototyping phase in which the battery is externally connected. Future research will focus on increasing the battery voltage and exploring additional applications. With funding from the U.S. Army Research Office, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation, this innovation marks a significant step forward in creating more autonomous and versatile robotic systems.
This development holds promise for both medical and industrial applications and represents a significant leap forward in the capabilities of small robots.
