These tiny little bots have big appetites!
There are those who say that war is one of the biggest aids to society in general, giving us eternally useful things like microwave ovens and pacemakers, but that's not to say that we can't manage to create something interesting (and creepy) in times of relative peace.
Robotic Technology Inc. has done just that, under a contract from the Pentagon, and have pieced together a steam-powered robot that sources its fuel autonomously - and from a wide variety of very unlikely sources.
It's got the ability to snack on petroleum products such as petrol or kerosene, but can also extend itself to solar, cooking oil and best of all - it can chow down on a big hunk of flesh.
Endearingly named the Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot, or EATR (as described in the official .pdf), this robot is able to be used as a mobile scout in areas typically dangerous to soldiers and can perform a range of tasks from shooting baddies to simply carrying supplies.
It feeds on the aforementioned fuels primarily, but also has the capacity to devour biomass from its surroundings, break said biomass down and extract the energy to power the steam reaction.
What isn't mentioned is if the EATR is limited to simple plant matter, or whether it will decide to harvest the energy-rich remains of soldiers on busy battlefields - and we're pretty sure that being devoured by a robot isn't the best way to have your corpse treated after death.
Either way it's a fascinating application of both science and technology, so head over to Tomsguide to check some more details.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012