Carnivorous Clock Eats Bugs

Designers James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau have created a clock that is powered by "eating" bugs. The clock traps insects on flypaper stretched across a roller system and then drops them into a vat of bacteria. The insects are then "digested" and the ensuing chemical reaction is transformed into power that keeps the rollers moving and the LCD clock working. The two offer another version that is powered by mice and an even cooler machine that picks insect fuel from spiderwebs with the help of a robotic arm and a video camera.

Re:Bugs?

[SSgt. Lagface]

I won't be buying a first generation one of these, it's bound to have a tonne of bugs.

Hopefully later generations will have more. My question is, how many bugs will it take to run that thing? I don't know how much power you'd get per bug, but I wouldn't be surprised if it really needed a ton of bugs to keep that thing up for a while.

Hmmm

[DaMattster]

I'd love to take one of these to Alaska in the spring into the early summertime. With the number of mosquitoes living there, I'll bet enough current could be generated to do something more than just power a clock. Mosquitoes in Alaska have been known to be so voracious as to kill a moose that happens upon a swarm. Imagine what millions of these pests could do with this system - bake a chicken or turkey or even provide enough electricity to power a small cabin.

Re:Oh sure...

[2obvious4u]

I so wanted to spend a mod point on this, since I have them to give away....

However, you joke of pedestrians, what about a more "realistic" road kill or still funny but more likely to be "true" cat and dog catcher?

Re:Cool For now.

[Kell Bengal]

It's closer than you think. Just consider the disturbingly named 'EATR': http://www.robotictechnologyinc.com/index.php/EATR [robotictechnologyinc.com] Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot. Strikes me that this 'tactical' robot is one programming glitch away from Robocalypse Now.

Re:Bugs?

[ElectricRook]

Oil on plastic works as fly-paper. Once the fly touches the oil, it cannot fly. It starts to squirm until a wing touches, then it ain't going anywhere. Soapy water works too.

A neighbor attached a 10 inch glass disk to an old style computer box fan, and it turned about 15 RPM. He positioned the disk so that it dipped into a half plastic milk carton of vegetable oil. A lamp was positioned to shine on the glass. On the first night, the tank was completely full of bugs (mostly moths), and it looked like mud.

What I want to know, is the details of the digester, what is the reaction that produces electricity. How do I make that part?

Re:Ethical Treatment of Flies

[oldspewey]

It isn't so much that I enjoy inflicting suffering on animals ... it's more that I think PETA are a bunch of total fucking nutjobs who wilfully spread misinformation and engage in various truly obnoxious forms of activism.