Preserving Chile's water with solar-powered robots

© 2018 EPFL - The scientists' team in Chile, where they tested modular origa
© 2018 EPFL - The scientists' team in Chile, where they tested modular origami robots preventing water from evaporating.
EPFL researchers have developed floating, solar-powered robots to help protect Chile's water reservoirs. These low-cost robots can be assembled together in a variety of ways on the water surface to prevent the water from evaporating - thereby preserving a precious resource in this arid country and one that's crucial to its biggest industry: winemaking. Preserving water is a real challenge in hot, dry parts of the world. "Farmers in these countries often cover water reservoirs with thousands of tiny plastic balls, a kind of tarp or a large umbrella to prevent the water from evaporating. But these systems can be expensive to set up and take down - and they can't adapt to the water surface as evaporation causes it to change size and shape," says Jamie Paik, the head of EPFL's  Reconfigurable Robotics Lab  (RRL) and a professor at the School of Engineering. Researchersfrom RRL, working in association with a scientist from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, have developed a water-preservation system tailored specifically to Chile's winegrowing region as part of a project sponsored by EPFL's  Cooperation & Development Center. Robust, flexible and modular origami robots Their system involves robots that look like little floating tiles.
account creation

TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.



Your Benefits

  • Access to all content
  • Receive newsmails for news and jobs
  • Post ads

myScience