Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442859
30 | The Future of Robotics Texas Instruments The AMR's power source and processing power are the underlying technologies that will carry the next generation of machines into our everyday lives. 48V power systems and better controller technology can operate safely and autonomously while improving resolution and performance. Let's review these power-source systems and controls. Energy Advances−the Move to 48V For AMRs, reduction in mass, size, and cost are critical. If these newer generation machines bring anything to the table, it will be better performance and a higher level of capabilities. The more power you need, the more energy you must put into a system. Legacy reliable 12V battery technology is giving way to more advanced lithium-based higher energy- density rechargeable cells. These cells' arrays yield higher voltage, meaning less current is needed to deliver the same power. If a 12V motor needs a certain amount of power and torque, it could, for example, need 25m of 14-gauge wire in its windings to deliver 10A yielding 120W. Moving to 48V will allow 100m of 24-gauge wire, reducing mass, size, and material costs. The circuit only needs to draw 2.5A to deliver the same power. If higher levels of impulse torque are required, bursts of higher energy pulses can be more effective than steady-state high- current drivers that will heat the wires and waste even more power. There will always be a place for stand-alone, remote control robots, especially in dangerous situations where lives are at stake. But there is also a trend toward autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). In this case, the enhancement of a robots' ability to react and make decisions is improved by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). AMRs Using Better Underlying Technologies Jon Gabay, Mouser Electronics Figure 1: Texas Instruments LMG341xR150 GaN FET provides new levels of achievable power density and efficiency to drive motors, actuators, and power stages that need small size and robust protections. Figure 2: Texas Instruments Piccolo™ C28x™ Microcontrollers (MCUs) family of 32-bit microcontrollers is an ideal candidate for AMR system and subsystem control and management.