Cute, Bug-Like Robots Draw Energy From the Sun

(Warning: Terminator Salvation spoiler up ahead.)

In McG’s turd nugget Terminator Salvation, the cyborgs run on nuclear power cells to keep on truckin’ without a recharge. Their downfall: The power cells turn out to be highly explosive (more so than a Sony laptop battery). Perhaps Dan Roe’s solar-powered Trilobots are a more practical solution for autonomous energy acquisition. In the video above, it doesn’t appear the Trilobot can murder people or deliver cheesy one-liners just yet, but it traverses various terrains. And, well, it’s really cute, isn’t it? See Roe’s web site for more of his projects.

Granted, solar-powered Terminators would presumably have to sleep while the sun is down. That would inspire the title for McG’s next masterpiece: Terminator Gargoyles.

See Also:

• Pentagon’s Top Tech: Solar Drones, Robot Security
• Grasshopper-Inspired Robot Can Jump Rocks on Other Planets
• Sun Powers Loon-y Pontoon Boat
• 7 Cool Robots for Geek Kids and Dads

(Thanks, Dan!)