According to reports, scientists in Switzerland are working to create robots that can be consumed as they reach the end of their lifespans.
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As advancement of technology and artificial intelligence reaches unprecedented heights with every passing day, nothing seems too outlandish or impossible to achieve in today's world. In this fast-paced and constantly evolving environment, multi-tasking and smart work that can save valuable time, are the order of the day.
Keeping this in mind, scientists are continually developing new technologies that can further elevate the state of robotics and AI, that will help in easing the day-to-day activities of humans, lessening their burdens significantly. Now, in a first, researchers and scientists in Switzerland are working to create robots that are not only fully functional, but also edible, as per the WION. Yes, you read that absolutely correct -- robots you can consume to satiate your hunger pangs.
Being deemed as a unique and fascinating blend between engineering and culinary science, scientists in Switzerland's École Spéciale de Lausanne university are currently working on this project, with researchers and colleagues from other universities also assisting them. According to reports, these robots can be consumed as they reach the end of their lifespans.
This can be advantageous in many ways and at the same time, solve issues related to e-wastes. These robots will have the ability to monitor health, administer nutrition and medications, and drastically cut down on technological or electronic waste.
Scientists there have launched the RoboFood project -- which aims to replace mechanical parts of robots with edible ones, in order to bring their plans to fruition. For example, gelatin may be replaced with rubber, foam may be substituted with rice cookies - and chocolate can be used to protect the components mentioned earlier from humidity and moisture.
Professor Dario Floreano - the director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) and also the founding director of the Swiss National Center of Competence in Robotics, is one of the major patrons of the RoboFood project and is quite optimistic about the prospects of it.
The accomplishments in this field have been pathbreaking in many ways. Researchers were able to make an edible gripper in 2017 and a drone made with rice cookie wings in 2022. Taking things one step further, they even made an edible battery last year using quercetin and riboflavin. Therefore, it is safe to say that things have been going pretty much in the right direction, and soon, we may have robots in our menu!