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F R E N D Z of martian
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Kline" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 6:54 PM
Subject: GeeK: Robots that run on meat
>
> ------- start of forwarded message -------
> Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 09:08:14 -0700
>
> Carnivorous Robot Is Born
> Updated 8:59 AM ET July 20, 2000
>
> LONDON (Reuters) - Man really is in danger of being swallowed up by
> technology after U.S. scientists announced on Wednesday they had
> designed a robot that runs on meat.
>
> Dubbed Chew Chew the "gastrobot," a 12-wheeled train-like robot runs
> on a microbial fuel cell, which breaks down food with bacteria and
> converts it into electrical energy, according to a report in New
> Scientist magazine.
>
> The cell works by producing enzymes that break down carbohydrates,
> releasing energy, inventor Stuart Wilkinson of the University of South
> Florida in Tampa told the magazine.
>
> "The ideal fuel in terms of energy gain, is meat. Vegetation is not
> nearly as nutritious," Wilkinson said. "Changing food into electricity
> isn't unique. What I've done is to make it small enough to fit in a
> robot.
>
> Chew Chew eats sugar cubes but early applications for gastrobots may
> include lawnmowers which eat grass clippings, New Scientist said.
>
> But Chew Chew's diet is refined compared to that of a gastrobot being
> developed at the University of the West of England -- it eats slugs.
>
> Wilkinson is jokingly aware of the dangers of giving gastrobots a
> taste for meat: "Otherwise they'll notice there's an awful lot of
> humans running about and try to eat them."
>
>
>
> ------- end of forwarded message -------
>
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