Researchers from the University of Bristol, Bristol BioEnergy Centre and Bristol Robotics Laboratory created a robot, that can change a further technology progress. Their invention is called Raw-bot and it’s a self-powered fuel cell. The robot works on electricity that is entirely generated by bacteria that lives in the device.

The Row-bot is swimming robot. It has 4 floating stabilizers for feet and 2 paddles. Taking the water inside, it gives a “food” for bacteria that generates electricity. Bacteria digests pollutants from water and produce carbon dioxide and electricity, that makes a robot move. All this system of processes creates a the Row-bot - energetically autonomous artificial organism. The design combines 2 kinds of subsystems: a bioinspired energy source and bio-inspired actuation. 
The robot doesn’t need a human presence at all (or for a long time) because recharging and refueling are unnecessary.

There are lots of ways how to use this robot. Row-bot can work in any kind of water, and if water is polluted, the robot will find a great source of energy there. This principle of energy generation could also be used not only in the aqueous environment but on land and in the air also. However, the water seems to be the easiest environ to start from.

This work of Bristol’s scientists is a first demonstration of energetically autonomy in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) - powered robot that gets energy from it’s surrounding (water).