CaPow, a perpetual power solution provider, announced it raised a $7.5 million Seed round to scale up the commercialization of its battery-free, wireless, energy delivery eco-system for autonomous robotics. This solution provides continuous power for automated robotic environments while eliminating robot downtime due to charging. The round was led by IL Ventures, a VC fund focused on disruptive technologies for legacy industries, with co-investment from Mobilion VC, Payton Planar Magnetics, Doral Energy-Tech Ventures, Mobilitech Capital, and Mr. Ray Nissan, a prominent angel investor.

Today, many automated solutions rely on batteries for power supply. This dependency leads to several inherent inefficiencies such as charging downtime and rampant costs due to the need for additional robots to replace the ones that are being charged. Moreover, traditional batteries have a negative environmental impact, as they create safety hazards and are an operational “headache” since they require a dedicated procurement strategy, special shipping, handling, storage and recycling.

CaPow addresses the primary bottleneck for automation: the challenge of providing reliable, cost-effective, and non-pollutive energy. By offering consistent power flow for mobile robots, CaPow’s energy delivery eco-system allows automated robotic solutions to continuously operate with no energy depletion downtime while ending the concept of reliance on legacy batteries. CaPow’s “battery-free”, paradigm-shifting solution is being well received along the logistics value chain, as it is validated to cut down the size of the required robot fleet, enhance throughput and improve the ROI of automation.

Robotics Summit (May 10-11) returns to Boston

Register Today

CaPow’s proprietary solution facilitates optimal power transfer with wide and dynamic capabilities. It accommodates multiple users, as well as the presence of metal and debris in and around the energy transfer field. In addition, it supports large distances between the transmitting and receiving ends, as well as wide spatial coverage. This provides substantial power levels with optimal end-to-end efficiency. The value of CaPow’s technology further expands to the wider mobility market with a wide range of applications. 

Mr. Amir Fishelov joins CaPow’s Board of Directors as Chairman of the Board, leveraging his two decades of experience as Co-Founder of SolarEdge (Nasdaq: SEDG), a pioneer and global leader in smart energy technology. At SolarEdge, a $17B company, Mr. Fishelov served as Chief Architect as well as VP of Strategy and Corporate Development, leading large-scale and complex energy management projects.

“With the backing of our investors and strategic partners, CaPow is challenging robot manufacturers, automation solution providers, and facility operators to change their definition of operational efficiency”, says Prof. Mor Peretz, Co-Founder & CEO at CaPow. “We look forward to accelerating our product development to meet strong market demand for our innovative and proven technology. The company will use the proceeds from the investment round to expedite business growth in markets around the world.”

“At IL Ventures, we align closely with CaPow’s mission of creating a sustainable, battery-free power supply for the industry,” says Yoni Heilbronn, Managing Partner at IL Ventures. “We are excited to invest in an exceptional and proven technology, which is a game changer for the entire robotic power landscape.”

“I am very proud BGN Technologies took part in bringing CaPow’s revolutionary technology to the market,” says Zafrir Levi, VP Exact Sciences at BGN, the commercialization arm of the Ben-Gurion University. “We wholeheartedly believe in CaPow’s Perpetual Power solution, and this investment is proof of the company’s superior technology and for the massive potential for disrupting the industry in which it operates”.

The post CaPow Raises $7.5 Million Seed Round appeared first on The Robot Report.

Wiferion wireless charging pads can recharge heterogeneous robot fleets. | Credit: Wiferion

WiTricity, a provider of wireless charging for electric vehicles, has licensed its wireless charging technology to Wiferion. Wiferion is a provider of mobile, wireless power supplies for a range of industrial applications, including automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

“We are happy to see Wiferion join our other licensees to further the possibilities for wireless charging,” said Alex Gruzen, CEO, WiTricity. “We are proud to see our pioneering technology help fuel the future of industrial automation and look forward to partnering with Wiferion to accelerate growth in the industry.”

Wiferion’s contactless, inductive charging systems supply fleets of vehicles with energy, no matter the voltage, current or battery type. 

“Already today, Wiferion’s etaLINK wireless charging solutions are powering thousands of mobile robots around the globe. Having access to WiTricity’s patent portfolio will allow us to further sharpen our value proposition and accelerate the adoption of wireless charging in industrial automation”, said Florian Reiners, CEO of Wiferion. “We are looking forward to partnering with WiTricity in our mission to enable the electrified economy and set a standard for wireless charging applications.”

“Witricity has a broad IP portfolio. Wiferion plans to use some of their inventions in new features and even new products”, said Julian Seume, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Wifereon.

Wiferion’s system has been designed into more than 100 different vehicles worldwide with more than 5,000 units sold globally, including installation in nearly all top European car manufacturing facilities.

The post WiTricity licenses wireless charging tech to Wiferion appeared first on The Robot Report.

Powermat Technologies today unveiled a wireless charging solution designed for fleets of various types of service robots used for commercial cleaning, delivery, warehouse operations, medical operations, and more.

It develops wireless power technology based on magnetic induction, which is also known as inductive charging. Powermat’s wireless charging technology for commercial robots supports power transfer over a distance of up to 150 millimeters between receiver and transmitter.

Powermat said the system offers up to 300W of power. It said the system eliminates the need for direct contact with pogo-pins entirely, providing operators with 90% charging efficiency.

Powermat also offers turnkey reference designs for wireless charging and battery management. This ensures communication between each robot in a fleet and at docking stations, which is required for identification and authentication, software upgrades, and more.

“For organizations to get the most return on their investment in autonomous solutions, service robots should always be able to complete their task autonomously and recharge quickly without human intervention,” said Elad Dubzinski, CEO, Powermat.

Powermat Technologies in mid-December 2021 raised $25 million in Series B funding to scale its wireless charging technology. The round was led by Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT) and Hudson Sustainable Group, which is a founding shareholder of Powermat.

There are several other companies that develop wireless charging solutions for robots. Some of those companies include In2Power, Vicor, WiBotic, Wiferion.

Powermat said its charging solutions can also be found in more than 800 million smartphones, 40 million embedded accessories, and 8 million cars worldwide. Global market leaders, including FIT, Flex, General Motors, Harman International, Kyocera, and Samsung are already using Powermat’s Technology.

The post Powermat unveils 300W wireless charging system for robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

Powermat Technologies today raised $25 million in Series B funding to scale its wireless charging technology for use in robotics systems. The round was led by Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT) and Hudson Sustainable Group, which is a founding shareholder of Powermat.

Powermat’s wireless power is used with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), consumer robots, industrial drones, medical robots and many other types of robots. Powermat develops wireless power technology based on magnetic induction, which is also known as inductive charging. Powermat’s wireless charging platform for robotics provides up to 600W of wireless power.

Powermat said its wireless power transfer eliminates the need for direct contact between robots and their docking & charging station. It allows robots to charge in proximity to their charging station without the need for accurate alignment or direct contact. The company offers turnkey reference designs and includes system interface integrations such as CAN/UART/BLE/Wi-Fi.

Powermat said its charging solutions can also be found in more than 800 million smartphones, 40 million embedded accessories, and 8 million cars worldwide. Global market leaders, including FIT, Flex, General Motors, Harman International, Kyocera, and Samsung are already using Powermat’s Technology.

“Access to power on a wireless basis is an essential element to the new mobility ecosystem, which is a business area of increasing focus for FIT,” said Thomas Fann, special assistant to the chairman, FIT. “OEMs and technology companies are looking for reliable, high performing, and cost-efficient wireless power solutions.

There are several other companies that develop wireless charging solutions for robots. Some of those companies include In2Power, Vicor, WiBotic, Wiferion.

In August 2021, WiBotic introduced new wireless chargers for drones and robots. The company’s technology was also involved in the first public demonstration of the MassRobotics interoperability standard, which took place at the FedEx DART lab. WiBotic wireless charging stations were available to all of the robots in the facility and were able to charge at the rate and specification for each individual robot.

The post Powermat raises $25M to scale wireless charging tech appeared first on The Robot Report.

Sensata Technologies unveiled its i-BMS battery management system (BMS) for electrified applications up to 60V. Sensata said the cell chemistry agnostic, compact, integrated BMS is designed for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and robotics, among other products.

Hot swap functionality and parallel battery pack support allow for the ability to quickly exchange depleted batteries with fully charged batteries. For example, when a robot returns to its base to pick up a new load, its depleted batteries can be swapped for charged ones.

While measuring only 65 x 200 mm (2.6 x 7.9 in), the i-BMS PCB board is equipped with everything required to manage and maintain a battery system without the need for any external components. All critical components are pre-integrated into the system, including a pre-charge circuit, on-board current measurement, MOSFET power switches for battery disconnect, and a DC/DC power supply. The solution features key components that are ASIL C Safety rated and include self-test capabilities for safety critical measurement circuits.

The algorithms in Sensata’s BMS software ensure accurate state-of-power (SOP) predictions based on cell internal resistance, voltage and current constraints, precise state-of-charge (SOC) calculations, and (state-of-health) SOH calculated based on aging effect.

The BMS Creator configuration software allows the battery pack designer to create a unique battery setup by defining application-specific BMS parameters and safety strategies, optimizing battery operation.

Other software features include measurement of rate of change of temperature to predict thermal runaway, dynamical regulation of current in extreme thermal conditions, as well as advanced parameter settings for CAN communication.

The post Sensata Technologies’ i-BMS enables battery hot swapping appeared first on The Robot Report.

Battery maker Varta has launched a cloud computing feature to let customers remotely monitor battery charging, health and the temperature of battery management systems. The Ellwangen, Germany-based company said the new online monitoring dashboard is designed for its “Easy Block” and “Easy Blade” modular smart batteries. The smart batteries go into forklifts, driverless transport systems and other small or medium vehicles.

Users of Varta’s customer-specific batteries will also have access to the remote monitoring feature, and Varta said it plans to expand its cloud services in the future.

The rechargeable “Easy Block” and “Easy Blade” lithium batteries are modular and expandable. They’re adaptable for applications in industries such as logistics, agriculture, mobility and more.

Varta said it’s possible to integrate its front-end solution directly into the device manufacturer’s existing solution via API interfaces to have a central point of contact for simple and intuitive use.

“With the help of the data, it will be possible in the future to recognize patterns and errors even faster or identify anomalies in the operation of the batteries before they occur. This leads to an increase in the life expectancy of the battery and a reduction in operating costs,” Varta Solutions GM Gordon Clements said. “Another advantage of cloud service is that there is a better understanding of the benefits of the battery, which will lead to more cost-effective solutions for certain user groups in the long run. And it opens up opportunities for new business models, such as a rental system in which the customer only pays for the energy that the battery delivers in a certain period of time.”

The post Varta develops online monitoring dashboard for batteries appeared first on The Robot Report.

Offshore Aviation Group’s OA-8C (ER) Dragonfly multirotor hover endurance increased to more than 90 minutes in 90-degree Fahrenheit ambient conditions with LaunchPoint’s 5.5 kW hybrid UAS propulsion system. | Image credit: Dragonfly Aviation

LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions, Inc. (“LaunchPoint”) collaborated with Offshore Aviation for a successful extended flight trial of the Dragonfly quadcopter.

Offshore tested their advanced unmanned aircraft, the OA-8C (ER) Dragonfly, fitted with LaunchPoint’s integrated 5.5 kW hybrid-electric HPS055 GenSet. With LaunchPoint’s flight-extending technology, the Dragonfly’s hover endurance increased to more than 90 minutes in 90-degree Fahrenheit ambient temperature conditions without refueling, effectively tripling the range of current battery-powered drones on the market. In both forward flight and in lower temperatures, endurance is expected to increase. The weight of the test configuration flown was reported at 28.1 kg (62 lbs) empty with 5.9 kg (13 lbs) of fuel. The total weight at take-off was 34.1 kg (75 lbs).

90 minute flight times are now possible

“We are excited to announce the success of our test flights of the 5.5 kW GenSets with our partner Offshore Aviation,” stated LaunchPoint CEO Rob Reali. “The trials’ results bring us a big step closer to hybrid-electric flight becoming a commercial reality. With the LaunchPoint Genset, flight time is increased over the incumbent all-electric design by 3x the duration from 30-minutes to a best-in-class time of 90-minutes with an increased payload. We plan to significantly increase that number soon. We’re targeting 4x the endurance or higher with our value engineering efforts in progress to achieve double digit improvements.”

LaunchPoint’s hybrid-electric GenSet are optimal flight solutions. The GenSets integrate their lightweight electric machines and controllers with engines to produce highly efficient and sophisticated electric power generators that are more power dense than comparable generators. An aircraft equipped with a LaunchPoint GenSet and battery pack enables more than three times the flight duration of those currently available while carrying the same or greater payloads. The HPS055 system produces 0.52 kW/kg continuous power with a peak power output of more than 7 kW using a recommended battery pack in parallel with the GenSet.

Offshore Aviation Group OA-8C (ER) Dragonfly drone performs flight tests with LaunchPoint’s HPS055 5.5 kW hybrid UAS propulsion system

“The flight of our aircraft with LaunchPoint’s GenSet range-extending capabilities will greatly benefit our current and future defense and commercial clients, including creating new opportunities for use of our novel drones” said Robert Hicks, CEO of the Maryland-based maritime and aviation services company.

In November 2020, LaunchPoint launched its HPS400 (40 kW) GenSet concurrently with its first customer shipments to power large cargo drones and to accommodate future flying vehicle missions that require extended ranges of flight and large payloads. Their innovative technology offers new opportunities for companies in what is known as the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) markets.

LaunchPoint plans its initial roll-out of GenSets for drone propulsion to the U.S. DoD, U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Forestry Service, and in general to the Department of Homeland Security, offering all entities the opportunity to expand their communication, surveillance and delivery capabilities while creating a safer, more reliable environment for those out in the field.

The post Offshore Aviation demonstrates flight time of more than 90 minutes with LaunchPoint’s Hybrid UAS propulsion system appeared first on The Robot Report.

WiBotic OC 262 onboard power chargers provide custom charging of AMR batteries. | Image credit: Wibotic

WiBotic introduces several new cutting-edge chargers and transmitters for drones and autonomous mobile robots. The new products showcase WiBotic’s expertise in innovating efficient charging solutions for robots that operate in all sorts of environments, even under the harshest conditions.

WiBotic OC-262 onboard charger

The OC-262 is a passively cooled onboard charger that was developed as a ruggedized system for the Department of Defense, but is now being released for wider use in response to customer demand. Passive cooling is particularly beneficial in punishing environments where water, dust, dirt and corrosion are significant concerns, and the OC-262 offers considerable benefits to customers operating in the oil and gas, mining, construction, marine exploration and agriculture industries.

Providing up to 300W of power, the OC-262 has no moving parts, supports all common robot battery chemistries, and pairs with a weatherproof receiver antenna for a complete outdoor solution

Two models of the OC-262 are now available:

• An ST model with IP20 rating for applications that require passive cooling but can be more open to the environment.
• A WP model with IP67 rating for use in outdoor or extreme environments.

WiBotic OC-150 drone battery charger

The WiBotic OC 150 is lightweight and designed to be deployed onboard a drone. | Image credit: WiBotic

OC-150 onboard charger. Designed for UAVs and smaller robots, the OC-150 is a compact and lightweight onboard charger that delivers up to 150W of total power and up to 10A of current depending upon battery voltage. As with other OCs, it supports multiple battery chemistries and has an output voltage range of 9V to 58.5V.

WiBotic TR-150 transmitter

The WiBotic TR 150. | Image credit: WiBotic

A compact transmitter, the TR-150 uses the latest high-efficiency GaN transistors from WiBotic partner GaN Systems Inc. It is designed primarily for use with the new OC-150 onboard charger but supports all WiBotic OCs when deployed in diverse robot fleets. Delivering up to 150W of power, its new GaN-driven power amplifier has an exemplary 95% efficiency – leading to end-to-end wireless power system efficiencies of 85% or more.

TR-300 transmitter. Like the TR-150, the TR-300 is a compact wireless power transmitter using GaN Systems’ technology for maximum efficiency. The TR-300 offers the same core benefits as the TR-150 but delivers up to 300W of power when paired with WiBotic’s OC-262 or OC-301 onboard chargers.

Paul Wiener, VP of Strategic Marketing at GaN Systems, congratulated WiBotic on the announcement: “These new products are just as exciting for GaN Systems as they are for WiBotic. We continue to believe the market for high-power wireless charging systems is going to explode in the coming years and companies like WiBotic are going to lead the way through the use of GaN technology.”

WiBotic Commander software provides a single place to view all charging operations. | Image credit: WiBotic

For drone operations, it can be difficult to keep track of individual battery health when large collections of diverse batteries are manually charged for repetitive field use. When used with WiBotic’s new Commander Fleet Energy Management software, lightweight WiBotic OCs can now track and report on individual battery charge cycles, termination voltage, charge rate (amps), and other critical factors that determine how a battery will perform day-to-day.

“When it comes to power delivery for autonomous drones and mobile robots, it’s crucial to innovate with new technologies such as GaN to maximize efficiency,” said Ben Waters, CEO at WiBotic. “These new products not only push that technical envelope but are also designed to survive in the most extreme operational conditions. And when used together with WiBotic software, they now let operators track and optimize the performance of individual batteries within large and diverse collections – whether charging is performed manually or fully autonomously.”

Listen to an interview with the WiBotic team on a recent The Robot Report Podcast episode.

The post WiBotic launches a new lineup of power chargers for drones and autonomous mobile robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

Clearpath Husky AMRs can now wirelessly recharge with a WiBotic charger. | Credit: Clearpath

WiBotic and Clearpath Robotics released wireless charging kits for two of Clearpath’s autonomous mobile robots: Jackal UGV and Husky UGV. The kits are available through Clearpath and can either be installed on new robots before they are shipped or retrofitted for existing robots using standard tools and simple instructions.

The kits are designed to provide a turnkey solution for wireless power, allowing Clearpath customers to experience fully autonomous battery charging for the first time. Once a Jackal or Husky robot navigates to within several centimeters of a charging station, power is automatically delivered through the air, providing reliable battery charging even in difficult outdoor environments.

Each kit contains a WiBotic charging station featuring a wireless transmitter, housed in a weatherproof enclosure, and WiBotic receiver components and mounting brackets specially designed by Clearpath for each specific robot model.

The kits offer operators the following benefits:

Operational cost savings: Jackal and Husky robots can now autonomously charge themselves, which is particularly beneficial for customers who use robots in remote environments or where it is expensive or hazardous to employ humans to monitor and charge batteries.

Reliability: In outdoor environments, robots are often exposed to dust, dirt, debris and moisture. Electrical components subjected to these elements are particularly susceptible to corrosion and mechanical failure, which results in unreliable charging. Fully sealed wireless power kits dramatically increase the reliability of autonomous robots in those environments.

Programmability: WiBotic chargers provide complete visibility into a robot’s charging process and can be programmed to deliver the ideal voltage and current for every charge cycle. It may be beneficial, for instance, to charge a particular robot’s battery as quickly as possible during working hours to minimize downtime. Overnight, however, it is typically better for the battery’s long-term health to charge more slowly. Jackal and Husky operators can use these customizable controls to optimize uptime while minimizing battery replacement costs.

Flexibility: Contact-based autonomous docking systems require precise alignment to ensure proper contact of both the positive and negative terminals. Misalignment can result in failed charging attempts, or damage to the dock itself – especially on uneven terrain or in wet, humid or muddy environments. The new kits solve this problem by offering up to 5cm of antenna air gap/misalignment while still delivering full power and efficiency.

Universality: Different robots use different battery chemistries, voltages and charging rates. This means customers who operate fleets of robots are frequently burdened with a hodgepodge of non-interoperable battery charging stations. The transmitters provided in these kits are universal, so a fleet of highly diverse robots can share the same charging stations as their Jackal and Husky counterparts.

Fleet management: Clearpath customers also have the option of using WiBotic Commander to manage networks of charging stations and larger fleets of robots. Commander aggregates historical information on every charge cycle for every robot and provides analytics for optimizing fleet-wide charging processes and battery performance.

Ben Waters, CEO and co-founder of WiBotic, was a guest on a recent episode of The Robot Report Podcast to discuss the benefits of wireless charging for autonomous mobile robots. WiBotic recently completed all of the testing and secured CE Mark approval for two of its wireless charging solutions. Waters shared some startup advice and the future of wireless charging in outer space. WiBotic is part of a NASA initiative to overcome challenges of charging robots on the moon. WiBotic will be developing wireless charging systems and energy monitoring base stations for lunar robots, including the CubeRover. You can listen to the interview below, starting at the 32:45 mark.

The post WiBotic powers wireless charging for Clearpath AMRs appeared first on The Robot Report.

WiBotic’s Commander fleet energy management software provides an overview of charging asset. | Credit: WiBotic

WiBotic, a Seattle-based developer of wireless charging and power-optimization systems for robots, today launched fleet energy management software called Commander. It can help robotics users visualize, configure, and optimize delivery of energy throughout their fleet of robots or drones.

Commander offers a visual display of charger availability and status, and historical information about which chargers are being used most. WiBotic said this allows customers to determine optimal charger placement to maximize opportunity charging and to set up personalized notifications when a robot is not charging properly.

The system also has an API that allows users to control the charging function as a part of each robot’s daily workflow. With the API, users can adjust variables such as charge voltage and speed (current) based upon each robot’s schedule. For example, users can set up a scheme to charge quickly during the day when robot uptime is critical and slower at night to maximize overall battery lifetime.

“This year marks an inflection point for robot adoption, from mobile robots to aerial drones, even extending to underwater and space-based robots,” said Ben Waters, CEO and co-founder, WiBotic. “Organizations that have evaluated small numbers of robots in the past are now realizing ROI, and are pivoting to scale-up.”

WiBotic highlighted these other additional features of Commander:

• Deploy a common charging infrastructure for all robots in a fleet, regardless of battery chemistry, voltage, or charge speed requirements.
• Auto-discover all transmitters and robots, eliminating time-consuming manual setup.
• Aggregate information on every charge cycle for every robot, allowing battery performance analysis to better predict failures.
• Adjust charge settings for groups of robots and push those updates to the fleet automatically.
• Benchmark battery performance across different chemistries and vendors to help customers make more informed decisions over time.
• Ability to update firmware for all WiBotic equipment simultaneously with a single keystroke.

WiBotic Commander includes an API to customize certain settings. | Credit: WiBotic

RBR50 company Waypoint Robotics, a developer of autonomous mobile robots, has been a partner of WiBotic for several years. It launched its EnZone charging system using WiBotic technology in 2018. Waypoint has been an early tester of the Commander software.

“As we deploy larger fleets of robots, we prioritize battery charging as a point of optimization,” said Waypoint Robotics CEO Jason Walker. “Robot availability and battery lifespan can be maximized if we know when, where, and how fast to charge; and Commander gives us that visibility and control. Commander also makes deployment and maintenance of multiple EnZones faster and easier than ever before.”

In June 2020, WiBotic closed a $5.7 million Series A funding round. In August 2020, WiBotic received Federal Communications Commission authorization for its 300-watt wireless charging systems.

And NASA recently awarded a $5.8 million contract to Astrobotic, Bosch, the University of Washington (UW), and WiBotic to overcome challenges of charging robots on the moon. Astrobotic is the main contractor as its CubeRover ultralight rover will be heading to the moon aboard the Peregrine lunar lander in 2021. WiBotic’s involvement is to develop wireless charging systems and energy monitoring base stations for lunar robots, including the CubeRover.

Plots in WiBotic Commander provide data on every charge cycle. | Credit: WiBotic

The post WiBotic Commander offers energy management for robot fleets appeared first on The Robot Report.

WiBotic Inc. today announced that it has joined the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute. Seattle-based WiBotic has developed wireless charging systems for aerial drones and mobile robots. The Pittsburgh-based ARM Institute is a collaborative devoted to public-private partnerships to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and defense through collaborative robots and workforce development.

In June 2020, WiBotic raised $5.7 million in Series A funding, and the company in August received Federal Communications Commission authorization for its 300-watt wireless charging systems. Last month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded WiBotic and other organizations a $5.8 million contract to develop methods for recharging lunar robots.

The ARM Institute works its members to develop a robust ecosystem for manufacturing innovation, including robotics technologies from sensors to software and artificial intelligence and quality control. The organization named Ira Moskowitz as CEO in March, surpassed 250 members in July, and has announced the funding of various manufacturing automation projects.

Breakdown of WiBotic’s wireless charging system. Source: WiBotic

WiBotic brings power to ARM

“Of course, battery charging is a critical component for all robot operations, and since WiBotic’s technology is at the leading edge of innovation in that area, we are perfectly positioned to help ARM members optimize power delivery to single robots or across entire fleets,” stated the company.

“Our membership in ARM is particularly exciting, as WiBotic has an acute interest in supporting the American manufacturing sector,” it added. “Domestic manufacturing and strong national defense are deeply interconnected, yet more than 63,000 U.S. factories have closed since 2001. This is a trend we’re committed to reversing.”

“We’re also excited about the workforce development aspects of ARM,” said WiBotic. “Their funding of programs like apprenticeships and career pathways identify skills gaps in the manufacturing workforce and give students, job seekers and incumbent workers knowledge of and access to essential skills to continue technical training. These efforts provide a material benefit to industry directly, and by extension, enable us to foster the very best talent to grow our team.”

The post Wireless robot charging provider WiBotic joins the ARM Institute appeared first on The Robot Report.

Astrobotic’s shoebox-sized CubeRover is heading to the moon aboard the Peregrine lunar lander in 2021. | Credit: Astrobotic

Battery life is an issue for many types of robots. But it is especially challenging for robots operating in outer space. A new initiative under NASA’s “Tipping Point” program hopes to solve this and make smaller robots available for missions that weren’t within reach before, including night missions on the moon.

NASA awarded a $5.8 million contract to Astrobotic, Bosch, the University of Washington (UW), and WiBotic to overcome challenges of charging robots on the moon. Astrobotic is the main contractor as its CubeRover ultralight rover will be heading to the moon aboard the Peregrine lunar lander in 2021. Roughly the size of a shoebox and weighing less than 5 pounds, teams of CubeRovers can potentially scout locations on the moon’s surface.

Under this new partnership, WiBotic will be developing wireless charging systems and energy monitoring base stations for lunar robots, including the CubeRover. Bosch researchers will be contributing software expertise in wireless connectivity, and UW will contribute its Sensor Systems Lab to support realistic lunar environment testing and validation of mechanical enclosures that can withstand the moon’s harsh environment. WiBotic spun out of UW in 2015.

Related: NASA’s A-PUFFER robots prepping for moon exploration

WiBotic already specializes in wireless charging, but so far has been designing its solutions for commercial, industrial and military robots that operate here on Earth. Its systems operate in dusty, dirty environments, but certainly nothing compared to what the moon has to offer. The wireless charging system’s receiver will be integrated with the CubeRover, while the transmitter will reside on the Peregrine lunar lander. Ben Waters, CEO and Co-founder, WiBotic, said the space-qualified system for the CubeRover will be based on its existing system.

“The primary thing in this process is leveraging existing designs, but changing components and enclosures, and perhaps architecture, so they’re radiation hardened,” he said. “Certain components will fail if you don’t use, for example, a microcontroller that’s radiation hardened. But there are various SKUs of a radiation-hardened microcontroller, so it’s mainly component selection.”

WiBotic’s waterproof OC-262 Onboard Charger. | Credit: WiBotic

Lunar landers and large space exploration vehicles are typically powered by solar arrays or small nuclear reactors. Smaller systems, such as the CubeRover, sometimes aren’t big enough to carry their own dedicated power supplies. They could be tethered to a larger vehicle, but the tether would restrict mobility and be susceptible to lunar dust (regolith). A lunar night lasts up to 14 days, and temperatures can drop to -208 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes charging via solar arrays obsolete.

Podcast: Perseverance Rover heading to Mars

“Bringing wireless power technology to the surface of the moon and beyond is a game-changer in the way space robotics systems have traditionally interacted,” said Cedric Corpa de la Fuente, electrical engineer for planetary mobility at Astrobotic. “For instance, by removing dependencies to solar charging, a new wide range of opportunities for smaller and lighter systems becomes available for missions that were not within reach before – such as survival of lunar night missions.”

Waters said passive cooling will be another change to the system as “fans don’t get you very far in the vacuum of space.” The connection ability also needs to be flexible as the moon’s surface often isn’t flat. WiBotic’s current systems can charge a robot even without making contact or dock with perfect alignment.

“From a technical perspective, it comes down to heat, surviving regolith and environmental conditions that the charging system could be exposed to. The system will also be launched on a rocket, so there will be massive vibration,” said Waters. “This is often the most-overlooked aspect of anything sent to space – the amount of force getting through the Earth’s atmosphere. Just getting there is a massive challenge, but once you get there you have all these things to contend with.”

Other challenges include designing the robust circuits and integration with the CubeRover. Waters said there will be about a year and a half of testing followed by almost a full year of testing. The prototype system will be sent to NASA, which will test it inside one of its simulation facilities.

“Moon dust is very fine and tends to stick to surfaces because it gets electrically charged. The UW team is tackling the fundamental research question of how dust particle size and composition affects power transfer efficiency,” said UW lead researcher Joshua Smith, a professor in both the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. “We plan to take an approach that is a hybrid of science and engineering: We will develop a synthetic moon dust that is consistent with known relevant properties, but that represents the worst case for our wireless power transfer system.”

Breakdown of WiBotic’s wireless charging system. | Credit: WiBotic

How wireless charging works

WiBotic’s existing wireless charging systems consist of four primary hardware components: a transmitter unit, transmitter antenna coil, onboard charger unit and receiver antenna coil. Here’s how WiBotic explains its technology:

“The transmitter unit uses any available power source (AC or DC) to generate a high frequency wireless power signal. The signal travels through a coaxial SMA cable to the transmit antenna coil where it generates both electrical and magnetic fields. The coil can be mounted vertically in a wall station, horizontally in a drone landing pad (or floor mat), or in just about any other orientation to make it convenient for the robot as it arrives for a charge.

“The transmitter unit recognizes any incoming robot equipped with an onboard charger unit and receiver antenna coil and automatically ramps up to deliver the right amount of energy. Conveyed through air, water or other non-conductive materials, the energy is then collected by the receiver antenna coil on the robot and conveyed to the onboard charger. The onboard charger converts the signal back into a DC voltage and controls battery charging functions to safely replenish a wide range of batteries.

“To deliver wireless power, the transmitter first checks to be sure a robot is within range. The system is so flexible that even robots with completely different battery voltages can share the same transmitter unit. It automatically recognizes each robot and adjusts charge parameters accordingly.”

Lunar robots a proving ground

Space is the next frontier for WiBotic, which already works with underwater robots, mobile robots, and drones on Earth. Waters said the company’s longer-term vision is to pioneer a lunar wireless power grid to supply energy for a wide range of both manned and unmanned vehicles, irrespective of their individual battery types, voltages or required power levels.

“This is only the first step in creating a common infrastructure of wireless charging stations and Fleet Energy management software to be deployed across the surface of the moon,” he said.

Waters also said there’s an opportunity wirelessly charging robotic arms in space. “JPL and NASA have experienced some of the robotic arms having a limited lifetime in space compared to operating on Earth,” he said. Eliminating mechanical actuators with feedthrough for charging could be a future opportunity.”

WiBotic is hiring “a few folks” to work on the lunar robots system in a more focused manner, while maintaining everything on its existing commercial business.

“It’s definitely exciting [to be working on space products],” said Waters. “A lot of us at WiBotic have strong personal interest in space. We track SpaceX launches and other space-related developments. We’ve been super impressed with what NASA leadership has said about the ARTEMIS project and how much thought goes into this.”

The post NASA initiative developing wireless charging for lunar robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

One of the limitations for commercial drone operations has been endurance limited by power supplies. Quaternium has partnered with electronic fuel injector manufacturer Löweheiser to set a flight record with its HYBRiX fuel-electric multi-rotor drone.

Valencia, Spain-based Quaternium claimed that it has been a pioneer in the drone industry since 2008. The company said it developed the first hybrid fuel-electric unmanned aerial system (UAS) in the world in 2014.

Ribarroja, Spain-based Löweheiser said it has designed the smallest electronic fuel-injection (EFI) system in the market, specifically optimized for unmanned aircraft. The European Commission is supporting the HYBRiX project through its Horizon 2020 program, which is intended to foster scientific and industrial innovation.

Quaternium uses fuel injection for flight duration

The “unprecedented” flight started at 8:20 a.m. local time with an experimental version of the HYBRiX drone with a full tank of 16 liters (4.2 gal.) of fuel, said Quaternium. The UAS landed at 6:34 p.m. after 10 hours and 14 minutes in the air.

Quaternium said it made several enhancements to HYBRiX to achieve this milestone, but it said Löweheiser’s EFI was crucial. The technology increased the drone’s flight time and reliability because it could easily adapt to any variation in weather conditions, said the companies.

The small size of Löweheiser EFI system enabled it to be easily integrated into the UAS without losing any performance, said Quaternium. The HYBRiX system, which was built specifically to attain the record flight time, kept its weight is almost the same as the carburetor version.

During the 10-hour mission, Lowehiser’s team monitored the engine parameters at all times, providing HYBRiX operators essential data to optimize the engine performance, making this new world record possible.

Source: Quaternium Technologies

“We are convinced that the cooperation with Löweheiser is a unique opportunity to develop new capabilities and meet our ambitious goals for 2021,” stated Alicia Fuentes, CEO at Quaternium. “This collaboration is going great, and we are confident that it is going to be really beneficial for both sides.”

Multi-copters are the preferred aerial platform for aerial applications, but their limited endurance makes them useless for many commercial missions, said Quaternium. The HYBRiX technology overcomes this limitation, making it ideal for aerial missions such as surveillance or first response, according to the company.

Quaternium said its HYBRiX long-endurance UAS, including Löweheiser’s EFI, is now available worldwide.

The post Quaternium, Löweheiser achieve 10 hour, 14 minute flight with HYBRiX drone appeared first on The Robot Report.

Naïo Technologies, which makes agricultural robots, and VARTA AG, which provides battery technology, have announced that they will be joining forces to create an autonomous, transportable charging station for for farming robots.

Engineers Gaëtan Séverac and Aymeric Barthes founded Naïo Technologies in 2011. The Toulouse, France-based company designs, manufacturers, and markets agricultural systems co-built with farmers and consumers. It said its weeding robot can help mitigate worker shortages, the tedium of certain tasks, and the need for chemical inputs. Naïo said that nearly 160 of its robots are in use worldwide. They include Oz, which is designed for diversified market gardeners, Dino for weeding mound-grown vegetables, and Ted for wine growing. The company closed seed funding of $15.52 million (U.S.) in January 2020.

Ellwangen, Germany-based VARTA AG produces and markets microbatteries, household batteries, and energy storage systems. Its product range includes customer-specific batteries for a wide range of applications. The group currently employs almost 4,000 people. With five production and manufacturing facilities in Europe and Asia, as well as distribution centers in Asia, Europe, and North America, VARTA’s operating subsidiaries are currently active in over 75 countries worldwide.

VARTA, Naïo take agbotics off the grid

The partners said their shared objective is to provide end-to-end solutions allowing for a remote charging station where no connection to the electrical grid is necessary, thanks to wireless solar or regenerative systems. Autonomous recharging is intended to reduce the need for user interaction during operation.

By having agricultural robots navigate to charging trailers by themselves as they run out of battery power, Naïo and VARTA aim to enable farmers to use robots for 24 hours without worrying about power supply. This would be a major advantage, especially during seasonal peaks, the companies said.

The partnership has launched two proofs of concept to test the systems’ feasibility. The first one will integrate VARTA’s batteries in Oz, the first robot of Naïo Technologies dedicated to market gardeners and already used by more than 120 farmers. The pilot’s goal is to improve the robot’s autonomy by more than 30%.

The second proof of concept consists of creating a solar charging station that can be used directly in the field. These field charging stations would be a world first for agricultural robotics, the partners claimed.

The Oz robot is powered by the Easy Blade battery. Source: VARTA

Agricultural robotics an emerging growth market

“Bringing our expertise and experience to agrobots means that Naïo Technologies as a market leader can focus on their core strength: making the combination of robotics and farming a full success,” stated Steve Saunders, key account manager for the U.K. and France at VARTA. “VARTA will enable the robots to work more efficiently, as our power management solution will make charging faster, more flexible, and much easier, while our advanced battery technology will allow for higher performance.”

“Thanks to our historical background in the agricultural robotics environment, we can easily exchange with VARTA about the existing challenges from a user point of view,” said Severac, co-founder of Naïo. “As for all our robots, our priority is to offer to the end users, the farmers, an easy solution with the fewest possible constraints for their daily activities. Thanks to VARTA’s renowned expertise, we are really excited to continue moving forward in this direction.”

The companies said they will present first prototype the FIRA International Forum of Agricultural Robotics virtual event on Dec. 8 to 10, 2020.

The post VARTA and Naïo Technologies collaborate on charging station for agricultural robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter can be seen between the left and center wheels of the Perseverance Rover. | Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

One week into its near seven-month journey to Mars with the Perseverance rover, NASA‘s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter recharged its power system. This was the first time the helicopter was powered up and its batteries were charged while in space.

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is stowed on Perseverance’s belly on the trip to Mars. Using the rover’s power supply, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter had its six Sony lithium-ion batteries charged to 35%. Once Ingenuity is deployed on Mars, its batteries will be charged by the helicopter’s solar panel.

The project helped determine a low-charge state is optimal for battery health during the trip to Mars.

“This was a big milestone, as it was our first opportunity to turn on Ingenuity and give its electronics a ‘test drive’ since we launched on July 30,” said Tim Canham, the operations lead for Mars Helicopter at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Since everything went by the book, we’ll perform the same activity about every two weeks to maintain an acceptable state of charge.”

We talked about the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in-depth with maxon SpaceLab’s Robin Phillips on a recent episode of The Robot Report Podcast. The helicopter will perform short flights, hopefully, and take aerial images while on Mars. But the main goal of this experiment is to test the concept for future drones in space.

The helicopter has flown in a simulated test environment inside the JPL laboratory. But whether it will lift off on Mars remains to be seen. The atmosphere on Mars is extremely thin, roughly comparable to the conditions on Earth at an altitude of 30 km (18.64 mi.).

Phillips said the helicopter should be viewed “as being the modern equivalent of the Sojourner rover — it’s just an engineering test. … That will enable future missions where you can be more ambitious and start attaching more science instruments [in addition to] a camera.”

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter will have a 30-Martian-day (31-Earth-day) experimental flight-test window. The team estimates the helicopter can reach about 10 meters high and cover 300 meters per flight. It has autonomous capabilities, but the first few flights will be carefully scripted by controllers at NASA JPL.

The helicopter can fly as high as 15 feet and as far as 160 feet with the longest flight duration being 90 seconds. It spins its propellers between 2000 and 3000 RPMs.

“This charge activity shows we have survived launch and that so far we can handle the harsh environment of interplanetary space,” said MiMi Aung, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager at JPL. “We have a lot more firsts to go before we can attempt the first experimental flight test on another planet, but right now we are all feeling very good about the future.”

Perseverance is expected to land on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021.

The post Ingenuity Mars Helicopter reaches milestone in space appeared first on The Robot Report.