These Carnivorous Robots are Powered by Bugs

The day you thought would never come has, erm, come. No it’s not free Internet for Africa, or nekkid Megan Fox photos, rather a series of robots that can consume flesh and live off it.

UK-based designers James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau have created a series of robots that ensnare hapless insects and digest their remains to power themselves.

In this flycatcher/timepiece, the device possesses a sticky roller to trap insects and transports them to the microbial fuel cell. Bacteria within the sell digests the insects and produces energy to run the clock and keep the roller moving.

See two more robots after the jump.

For those sadistic among us, this contraption goads spiders to build webs between the pegs on the board. Any flies that happened to get trapped in the webs are tracked by a camera and after they have died, a robotic arm transports the dead flies into fuel cell that generates energy to power power the camera and robotic arm.

This lampshade robots lures insects to it by using ultraviolet lights (which are lit only at night) and once trapped, the dead insects fall into the fuel cell. The dead critters are digested and the energy generated power the ultraviolet LEDs.

When these robots are able to digest drunken party guests, I’ll be first in line to buy one.

[via New Scientist]