Faculty September 18, 2023 · 3 min read Focus on new faculty: James Pikul is redefining what we use to generate and store energy A robot, hard at work, runs low on power. Instead of needing to be plugged in and waiting to recharge, the robot simply “eats” some nearby metal, which provides power to top off its battery….
Research August 12, 2026 · 3 min read Aluminum-air battery cuts robot energy-storage mass by 41% A robotic rover powered by a new aluminum-air battery completed the same 60-kilometer mission as a lithium-ion-powered rover while carrying 41% less total energy-storage mass. Developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers James Pikul and Yichao…
Research September 10, 2024 · 4 min read Borrowing from biology, new liquid batteries store oxygen like blood to power robots The human body’s circulatory system pumps oxygen and glucose to trillions of cells, providing them with essential energy and nutrients. Inspired by the body’s example, a team led by James Pikul, an associate professor of…
FacultyResearch April 30, 2025 · 3 min read The race for animal-like endurance in mobile robots hinges on new energy storage technology If we envision a future in which humanoid or animal-inspired robots work at construction sites or safeguard older adults, then we’ll need to develop energy storage systems that will allow those bionic beings to continuously…
FacultyResearch January 4, 2024 · 5 min read A new electroadhesive clutch to improve haptics in virtual reality gloves and beyond When engaging in virtual reality (VR) and manipulating an object, users want to be able to feel what they’re touching in virtual space. A hard object needs to feel hard and a soft object needs…
December 21, 2023 · 1 min read Highlights from 2023, a year of innovation and impact For the UW-Madison College of Engineering, 2023 was a year full of extraordinary achievements and tremendous growth. We advanced scientific knowledge on many fronts, improved the quality of people’s lives…