Insect Juice Powered Robotic Household Aids

Invariably, there will always be insects that dare to cross the threshold of our homes in spite of phenomenal weatherproofing efforts, the use of cinnamon/chile powder perimeters and/or the ravenous appetites of flocks of urban chickens. Those who lean to the green are more likely than not to exercise makeshift catch and release programs, particularly for garden allies (such as spiders and lady bugs) and other critters that are easy to lift and fling (such as beetles), but when it comes to ants, flies and mosquitoes? Lord have mercy on their eensie weensie little souls. Sure, you could swat them, flatten them like a pancake with the heel of your shoe or snuff them out with a tissue-wadded palm, but if you're really thinking about living as sustainable a lifestyle as possible, why waste such a potentially valuable resource? If scientists can convert cocoa nibs, orange skin oil, kiwi fruit, watermelon and zoo animal excrement into alternative fuel sources, than why shouldn't the green-minded consumer be able to convert insect invaders into a handy on-spot energy source right in the comfort of their own homes?

If that sounds intriguing to you, than you are going to like -- no, LOVE -- the series of five semi-operational alternative energy conversion prototypes known collectively as Carnivorous Domestic Entertainment Robots (CDER). Part of a project called Material Beliefs, the design team composed of Jimmy Loizeau, James Auger and Aleksander Zivanovic worked alongside research scientists to apply microbial fuel cell technology to their collection of 5 handy-dandy household helping robots that are literally powered with the organic juices of common domestic invaders, including flies and mice. These bio-electrochemical systems drive electric currents by mimicking bacterial interactions found in nature and their fuel cells can be fed with virtually any organic material. Bristol Robotics Laboratory's fly munching Ecobot was the first design of this type to be tested using microbial fuel cells to power its systems, and now, add the Fly Stealing Robot, UV Fly Killer Parasite, Mousetrap Coffee Table Robot, Fly Paper Robotic Clock and Lampshade Robot to the list.

Fly Stealing Robot: This robot's structural armature is strategically designed to seduce spiders to build their webs on or around it. With so much surface area to utilize, spiders are bound to hit the jackpot in terms of fly catching capabilities, but this robot's dirty little secret is that once its tracking camera spots all of the juicy little treasures hanging in the balance, it ruthlessly plucks the mini meals right out from under the spider via its robotic arm and deposits them into its microbial fuel cell.

The resulting electricity that is generated from the fly carcasses partially powers not just the robotic arm but also the camera, with backup juice obtained via the UV Fly Killer Parasite Robot. Have a heart, people...doesn't the spider deserve a little somethin'-somethin' for its efforts?

UV Fly Killer Parasite: Take a typical ultraviolet light fly zapper, fit it with a microbial fuel cell right and an onboard collection container for flies that meet their untimely demise. This simple system converts flies into fuel and then stores all of that organic power into its capacitor bank for future use (specifically for what the Fly Stealing Robot requires).

Mousetrap Coffee Table Robot: First off, if you have a seemingly endless population of mice streaming into your house (compelling you to incorporate a table like this into your livingroom), then you clearly have a serious problem! Start sealing up those nooks and crannies stat!! My other recommendation is that you enlist the services of an expert feline hunter who holds no prisoners.

With this table's welcoming leg hole, mice will happily explore the tunnel -- particularly when you seduce them with the irresistable scent of food crumbs on the table top -- and be led into an unfortunate death trap that will at least convert their carcass into enough power to operate the onboard infrared motion sensor and mechanized iris. These designers clearly aren't messing around.

Fly Paper Robotic Clock: Fly paper and glue traps seem to be among the most cruel ways to trap undesirable critters, but there's no denying that they work like a charm. In this case, a roller mechanism covered with the sticky stuff passes by a blade (okayyyyy, double-dose of cruelty anyone?) as soon as a fly plows into it.

Their crumpled remains are shredded even further and then deposited into a microbial fuel cell for the final level of unimaginal death and destruction so that we may have free power for the robot's rollers, plus enough left over to power a small LCD clock. Am I the only one who would feel more than a little guilty every time I checked on the time?

Lampshade Robot: At least this one is a little more aesthetically pleasing to look at (if you can temporarily forget about the snuffing out of thousands of little insect lives). Everyone knows that flies and moths are instinctually drawn to light, so in effect, this simple design channels the power of various LEDS to beckon flying critters to come close and explore.

That's right...a little closer. Oooooo, theres are lots of little holes on the shade...time to explore...you know you want to...that's a good little bugger...in you go. What they don't know is that once they enter, they can not escape since the holes in the shade are modeled after the structure of a pitcher plant. Once they die a slow death of suffocation and starvation, gravity takes over when they drop into the microbial fuel cell that is mounted underneath. In the immortal words of the British rock group Queen, uhhh-uhhh-uhhh, another one bites the dust...