Written by: Beck
What do human sewage, autonomous robots, and decomposing house flies have in common? Why
remote temperature readings of course!
The EcoBot II powers itself in much the same way as animals feed themselves to get their energy, he said.
[...] The EcoBot II uses human sewage as bait to catch the insects. It then digests the flies, before their exoskeletons are turned into electricity, which enables the robot to function.
Bacteria in the sewage eats the flies' soft tissues, which releases enzymes that break down the hardened shell.
Sugar molecules released from the broken-down shell are then absorbed and used as energy by the bacteria.
"The robot then has the energy to carry out some example tasks which in this case include moving towards light, measuring temperature. It has a temperature sensor. It could be anything, but we have chosen temperature," Melhuish said.
"Then it transmits that temperature information over a radio link to a base station a couple of meters away and it does that all using the energy from insect or plant material."
That's right folks. The future is today. 2005 has come, and it has some amazing marvels in store for us. Specifically, fly eating thermometer robots baited with human excrement. The future's so bright, I gotta wear
shades.
Just wait until 2006 when the flying version comes out.