# Methanol-Powered Micro Robots The 'RoBeetle' Has an Efficient, Beetle-Like Design By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2020-08-27 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robeetle References: [yankodesign](https://www.yankodesign.com/2020/08/27/this-tiny-robot-can-walk-for-hours-and-is-fuelled-by-methanol-no-batteries-required/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+yankodesign+%28Yanko+Design+-+Form+Beyond+Function%29) The 'RoBeetle' tiny robot is an efficient robotic solution crafted with a small design that will enable it to walk efficiently for extended periods using an unexpected fuel source. Powered by methanol, the robot requires no batteries and weighs in at just 88 milligrams to make it an ultra-lightweight solution that is impossibly compact. The robot walks thanks to its four legs that consist of two rear ones that are fixed and two in the front that are attached to a transmission to receive commands to move forward. The 'RoBeetle' tiny robot is the design work of Nestor Perez-Arancibia, Xiufeng Yang and Longlong Chang at the [University](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swimming-robots-1) of [Southern](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pizzaforno) California, and is capable of running for 155 minutes on a full tank of methanol. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 85% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Science](https://www.trendhunter.com/science) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Micro Robotics:** The development of efficient, lightweight micro robots powered by unconventional energy sources like methanol fuel has the potential to revolutionize industries that require small-scale automation. - **Battery-free Technology:** The use of methanol as a power source for robots opens up opportunities for the development of battery-free technologies in various industries where energy efficiency and compact design are essential. - **Energy Innovation:** The exploration of unconventional fuel sources like methanol for robotic applications showcases the ongoing trend of energy innovation and sustainability, offering disruptive possibilities for a wide range of industries. ### Where This Applies - **Medical Devices:** The advancement of micro robotics with methanol-powered solutions can greatly impact the medical device industry by enabling the development of smaller, more precise, and autonomous systems for diagnostics, surgeries, and drug delivery. - **Industrial Automation:** Methanol-powered micro robots offer disruptive innovation opportunities in the industrial automation sector, allowing for the creation of compact, versatile, and energy-efficient machines that can perform complex tasks in tight spaces. - **Environmental Monitoring:** The utilization of methanol-fueled micro robots can revolutionize the environmental monitoring industry by enabling the deployment of autonomous, long-lasting, and cost-effective robotic systems capable of gathering data in challenging environments. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Miniature Flying Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiny-robot.md) - [Diminutive Bipedal Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bipedal-robots.md) - [Multidirectional Miniature Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/multidirectional-miniature-robots.md) - [Algae-Powered Rover Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robotic-rover.md) - [Compact Mycelium Biohybrid Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mushroom-robot.md) - [Agile Wall-Climbing Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magnecko-robot.md) - [Bio-Inspired Transforming Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bioinspired-transforming-robot.md) - [Maneuverable Centipede Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/centipede-robot.md) - [Microscale Swimming Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swimming-robots-1.md)