2013 - Volume #37, Issue #6, Page #23
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Clock Powered By Dead Flies
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Flypaper mounts over two rollers with a scraper at one end. As the rollers slowly turn, any flies that land on the paper are scraped off and fall into a small microbial fuel cell.
The electricity generated by the flies is used to power both a motor turning the rollers and a small LCD clock. Can dead livestock powering generators be far behind?
Another project was a Lampshade Robot that attracts moths and flies. Once they enter, they can’t get out, and eventually fall into a fuel cell. The electricity powers the LEDs in the shade.
The two designed an even larger Mouse Trap Coffee Table Robot. A hole in one of the table legs makes it easy for mice to climb onto the table where crumbs attract them to a mechanical trap door. A motion sensor triggered by the mouse opens the door so the mouse falls down into a fuel cell beneath the table. This generates the energy to power the sensor and an LED graphic display on front of the tabletop.
Each system requires an initial outside energy source to start. However, once switched on, they’re designed to operate as long as they have biomass in the fuel cells to generate electricity.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, James Auger/ Jimmy Loizeau (info@auger-loizeau.com; www.auger-loizeau.com).
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