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A replacement for traditional motors could enhance next-gen robots. Researchers at Stanford have designed a device that can accomplish dynamic tasks using a fraction of the cost. (news.stanford.edu)

submitted 8 months ago by RewindAgain to c/futurology

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[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I think this provides a function closer to a motor than a transmission. It has a typical electric motor at its core providing the main power, but the springs also provide power. IMO, a better analogy would be a motor plus flywheel to replace just a motor.

The main distinction in my mind is that transmissions just convert forces from one speed/torque to another; they don't store energy.

[–] fishos@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Regardless, it's still a regular motor attached to other things. It's doesn't replace the OG motor at all. And it requires much more space that isn't useful in every application.

Again, all that stuff is cool, but the title is incredibly misleading. This is an "improvement on current power transfer designs", not a "completely new motor". It's taking the power from the motor and transferring it to other areas. That's a transmission.

If I'm being pedantic, it's because the article title makes it seem like we figured out a new electric motor besides coiled wire. That would be really fascinating. But instead we get "fancy clutch". It's literally "instead of a stepper motor, let's just use a regular motor powered on 24/7 and attach a clutch and transmission to decide when and where to deliver that power".