Researchers at Binghamton University and the State University of New York have developed a groundbreaking aquatic robot capable of skimming across water surfaces.
Binghamton University, State University of New York researchers have developed a self-powered “bug” that can skim across the water, and they hope it will revolutionize aquatic robotics. Image Credit: Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi
Futurists anticipate that by 2035, the Internet of Things (IoT) will integrate over one trillion autonomous nodes into all aspects of human life. This means that virtually any object, regardless of size, will be able to send data to a central database autonomously.
However, this vision faces significant challenges, particularly because 71 % of Earth's surface is covered by water, which introduces both environmental and logistical complexities. To address these issues, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched the Ocean of Things program.
For the past decade, Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi of Binghamton University’s Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science—who is also the director of the Center for Research in Advanced Sensing Technologies and Environmental Sustainability (CREATES)—has been working on innovative solutions funded by the Office of Naval Research. Choi, together with Anwar Elhadad, PhD ’24, and PhD student Yang “Lexi” Gao, has developed bacteria-powered biobatteries with a potential shelf life of up to 100 years.
Their new aquatic robots utilize this technology because it proves more reliable in challenging conditions compared to solar, kinetic, or thermal energy systems. A unique Janus interface, which has hydrophilic properties on one side and hydrophobic properties on the other, allows these robots to absorb nutrients from the water while retaining them within the device to sustain bacterial spore production.
When the environment is favorable for the bacteria, they become vegetative cells and generate power, but when the conditions are not favorable — for example, it’s really cold or the nutrients are not available — they go back to spores. In that way, we can extend the operational life.
Seokheun "Sean" Choi, Professor, Binghamton University
The Binghamton team’s research demonstrated that their bacteria-powered biobatteries could generate nearly one milliwatt of power. This amount is sufficient to drive the robot’s mechanical functions and operate sensors that monitor various environmental parameters, such as water temperature, pollution levels, the movement of commercial vessels and aircraft, and the behaviors of aquatic animals.
This capability represents a significant advancement over existing "smart floats," which are stationary sensors tethered to a fixed location.
The next phase in developing these aquatic robots involves determining which bacteria are most effective at producing energy under the harsh conditions of the ocean.
We used very common bacterial cells, but we need to study further to know what is actually living in those areas of the ocean. Previously, we demonstrated that the combination of multiple bacterial cells can improve sustainability and power, so that’s another idea. Maybe using machine learning, we can find the optimal combination of bacterial species to improve power density and sustainability.
Seokheun "Sean" Choi, Professor, Binghamton University
Journal Reference:
Elhadad, A., et al. (2024) Revolutionizing Aquatic Robotics: Advanced Biomimetic Strategies for Self-Powered Mobility Across Water Surfaces. Advanced Materials Technologies. doi.org/10.1002/admt.202400426