Scavenger robot EATS living organisms

It may not be a living, breathing robot, but UK researchers have created something pretty close. Robotics experts has developed a soft robot capable of consuming organic material for energy, effectively creating a machine which digests living things. The hope is that such self-sustaining robo-scavengers could be used to mop up contaminated water or algal blooms, which choke out life.

www.dailymail.co.uk... ml

Now is it just me, or can anyone else see where this is going?

Using a soft polymer membrane as a 'mouth', the machine filters its aquatic surroundings – a water bath with added biomatter – to gain the energy it needs.

But unlike the stomach or digestive tract of living organisms, the mechanical imitator relies on a microbial fuel cell packed with bacteria which break down organic matter.

These microbes break liberate the chemical energy stored in the biomatter, which is transformed into electrical energy which the robot can use.

The clever design imitates the symbiotic relationships which have helped living things to dominate the planet over billions of years.

Once the matter is used up, it is excreted out the other end and the robot moves on.

So I suppose now not only do we have to deal with weirdos in women's bathrooms, but somewhere down the line they're going to have to make room for "living" robots to use them too. And who knows what new worries THAT'S going bring to your average parents.

*sigh*

Jumping way ahead with ten tin foil hats on, "robots that feed on humans". Some nerd somewhere has already conjured the fantasy. I guarantee it.

In the meantime, they need to desperately send an army of these things to clean up the Ganges River in India.

I do not fear technology as long as there is an 'off' switch.

originally posted by: InTheLight
I do not fear technology as long as there is an 'off' switch.

Agreed, however, you first need to know where the OFF switch is and ...... can you reach it?

a reply to: InTheLight

Yeah well, we'll see how you feel when that "off" switch is in the hands of a psycho nerd hellbent on ruling the world with ravenous robots ready to eat you. Fear technology, for your own good.

originally posted by: TrueAmerican
a reply to: InTheLight

Yeah well, we'll see how you feel when that "off" switch is in the hands of a psycho nerd hellbent on ruling the world with ravenous robots ready to eat you. Fear technology, for your own good.

I have faith in people inventing mechanisms by which to disable any mechanism that may go haywire, mechanically speaking. Or, we can just shoot the damn thing into oblivion.

So, this soft robot eats sewage - just imagine a new era of self-contained toilets where sewage is managed in our homes, and not flushed into our fresh water systems.

a reply to: InTheLight

Wait. We can't even trust Samsung to make a Galaxy that doesn't explode, and you're ready to trust what? Lol. Ok. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

originally posted by: TrueAmerican
a reply to: InTheLight

Wait. We can't even trust Samsung to make a Galaxy that doesn't explode, and you're ready to trust what? Lol. Ok. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

Samsung is a whole other kettle of fish (stinky bait).

Greg Bear - "Blood Music".


Let's hope none of these geniuses decide to try their new toys on themselves.

a reply to: TrueAmerican
This reminds me of something I read a few years ago about the poo bot. Yes, it's a robot powered by poop.

The robot "poops" in order to avoid poisoning it's microbes. Too much poo is a bad thing, I guess. That means it's going around eating poop and pooping the poop out. I hope it's housebroke. Here it is "pooping":

a reply to: Skid Mark

In that case, they should connect two of them, so the one the OP mentioned can eat the pooper robot's poop and create energy...then there was none (poop, that is).

a reply to: InTheLight
Or they could connect a few of them together and they could have the robot centipede.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: InTheLight
Or they could connect a few of them together and they could have the robot centipede.

Yes, perpetual self-contained poop processor...coming to a town near you.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

By then they won't even eat us anymore. Just lock us in a dream state and suck out the energy. Oh wait...

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Me thinks these guys have been reading Arthur C Clarke's 'Rama' books. There are 4 in the series! I've only read the first 2 I think.

a reply to: InTheLight

Also with arms that can't reach the switch to turn it on ..

Something like that would be good as a gardening robot .. something like the ones in the 1972 film " Silent Running "