Robotics Technology is developing a robot that consumes biomass, such as plant material, and converts it to electricity to power itself. The whimsically-named Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) is intended for jobs where regular, conventional fueling would be impractical, such as military recognizance.
Not surprisingly, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding the research.
The EATR will "forage" for its fuel, "engaging in biologically-inspired, organism-like, energy-harvesting behavior which is the equivalent of eating," according to a recently-released Robotics Technology brief. "It can find, ingest, and extract energy from biomass in the environment (and other organically-based energy sources), as well as use conventional and alternative fuels (such as gasoline, heavy fuel, kerosene, diesel, propane, coal, cooking oil, and solar) when suitable."
No one is saying when the robots will be available, and since they are merely beginning research, who knows if they every will be. The brief refers, in the future tense, to an " initial proof-of-concept demonstration [that] will focus on the ability of the EATR to recognize biomass sources of energy from non-energy materials, properly manipulate and ingest the biomass materials into the engine system, and generate electrical power to operate the various subsystems."
With an idea like this, it's natural to look at science fiction of the most whimsical sort for analogies. I found myself thinking of Bender, the alcohol-fueled, and apparently alcoholic, robot from the animated sitcom Futurama. Hopefully these robots will be a bit more productive.
Images: Robotics Technology and Comedy Central
Comments
Very interesting article, but now that this has been stumbled, I hope all the other readers aren't as distracted as I was by the author's misuse of "recognizance" when he meant "reconnaissance." Author, if you can change that, you should do so.
Maybe it's just me, but isn't this a bit counterproductive when it comes to saving the environment. What if some genius decides to build a self-replicating model of this and then lets it loose in the rainforest. BOOM - instant robot apocalypse.
I really don't want to have to start competing with robots for food.
Honestly, I am all for the advancements in technology in every way but this here isn't something I do like. My reasons behind this though is because if this technology is taken further we could have some kind of robots that feed upon flesh and being self sustaining lets say it will start with small animals like rodents... Then of course we know where this spins off into the technology becoming so advanced they could feed on humans if need be. When that time comes of course it will be like a small number of human related deaths by robots but just saying some i-robot type shit they try to take over and just become domesticated for their feeding? I don't know this is cool but man it could be really bad.
"other organically-based energy sources"
We're organically based...
That comment wasn't there when I posted mine, I swear...
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