An innovative circuit design could enable miniature devices, such as microdrones and other microrobotics, to be powered for longer periods of time while staying lightweight and compact. Researchers from the University of California San Diego and CEA-Leti developed a novel self-sustaining circuit configuration—featuring miniaturized solid-state batteries—that combines high energy density with an ultra lightweight design.
The results will be presented at the 2025 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), which will take place from Feb. 16 to 20 in San Francisco.
One important application envisioned for microdrones is how they could assist first responders in disaster cases. When a building collapses, for example, current robots might be too large to maneuver in the resulting confined areas. Yet, a swarm of tiny wing-flapping drones—so tiny that one can rest on a fingernail—could enter the tight spaces to inspect the building for chemical hazards or even to search for trapped people.
The design dilemma, however, is that these devices need lasting power to fly around long enough. But because they are so small (tens of grams or ideally less), carrying a large battery is impractical. As a result, current microdrones can only fly for a few minutes.
“In order to maximize the flight time, you need to minimize the weight of all the components of the system, and that includes the battery and all electronics needed to process power,” said Patrick Mercier, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and co-senior author of the paper. “It’s a very difficult and delicate trade-off.”
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