Embodied, flexible, high-power-output, structural batteries for untethered, small-scale robots

Flexible and deployable mechanisms play a vital role in robots. Integrating energy power into these flexible mechanisms can largely improve power endurance and reduce the overall weight. However, conventional structural batteries can hardly withstand large deformation and dynamic loads, leaving a great challenge to design embodied flexible energy power for robots with flexible and deployable structures. Here, we report on the development of embodied flexible battery power that can support dynamic loads and static deployment. Based on the rigid-supple mechanism design, these batteries have been integrated into three different types of small robots, including quadruped robots, crawling soft robots, and quadcopters. The batteries not only provide all the energy for robot operation but also act as load-bearing components. More importantly, the batteries can withstand more than 23,000 bending cycles at 0.5 C charge and discharge rates, with a capacity retention rate of 95.76 %. In addition, by using a double-layer cross-winding structure, the batteries can provide high-power discharge while serving as foldable drone support. Our work provides a new perspective for the future development of soft and flexible small robots.