British scientists are developing a robot that will generate its own power by eating flies, reports IOL.com.

“The idea is to produce electricity by catching flies and digesting them in special fuel cells that will break down sugar in the insects’ skeletons and release electrons that will drive an electric current.

“Called EcoBot II, the robot is part of a drive to make “release and forget” robots that can be sent into dangerous or inhospitable areas to carry our remote industrial or military monitoring of, say, temperature or toxic gas concentrations,” New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday”.

“So what is the downside? The robot will most likely have to attract the hapless flies by using a stinking lure concocted from human excrement.” [New Scientist]