Carnivorous Gadgets Eat Bugs and Mice for Charging Up (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California 
on 06.30.09
Photo via New Scientist
We design solar cells based on the functions of plant leaves. What if we designed gadgets based on the functions of carnivorous plants? That's what a few artists have come up with in their gadgets and appliances that feed off the pests in our homes in order to gather a charge. Check out a video of how they work.
New Scientist shows off a slideshow of the gadgets, including a fly-trap clock that captures flies on a sticky conveyor belt, and a coffee table that traps mice and digests them in a microbial fuel cell where the decomposing mouse becomes energy for powering the mechanism that traps the mice. The devices are all based on carnivorous plants like the Venus Fly Trap and Pitcher Plant.
A clever idea for self-charging devices. It sure gets us past the put-a-solar-cell-on-everything hump.
More on Clever Concept Gadgets
7 Concept Gadgets We Want to See Brought to Market
Water-Saving Concept Device to Measure Water, Detect Leaks
Concept LED Device Gives Air Quality Alerts
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Electricity Monitoring at Home Saves Energy on Gadget Use
- Turn A Designer Handbag Into a Solar Powered Fashion Statement
- Ed Begley, Jr. on Green Elementary Schools, Biodiesel, and More
- How to Go Green: Gadgets
- Living With Ed Episode: For Better or Worse
- PopTech's America Reimagined: Bringing Brains Together at the Coolest Conference You've Never Heard Of
Comments ()
