Researchers from the University of the West of England have found a way to power robots with urine.
They have created an artificial heart in which urine is pumped into a microbial fuel cell, enabling the robots to be charged up. The heart also acts like a real one, and is made of a shape memory alloy, allowing it to change back to its original shape after being deformed.
In urban areas, these robots will be able to re-charge by obtaining urine from urinals, while the effluent from farms can power them as well.
Charging up with urine is, for now, more inefficient as these robots still produce more electricity than they consume.
These researchers have also come up with EcoBots that are sustained by dead insects and sewer sludge.
[via CNet News]