• Row-bot: An energetically autonomous artificial water boatman
  IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), December 2015
  Product: Marine Robot 
  Environmental Impact: Reduce carbon emissions 
  Planetary Boundary: Climate Change 
  Keywords: Biomimetics, Marine Control, Microbial fuel cells, Bio-inspired actuation, MFC-powered swimming robot, Water boatman beetle, Ocean cleaning, Ocean acidification, Freshwater Use, Marine Robotics
  Description: This research paper presents a design for an energetically autonomous artificial organism that demonstrates the anabolic, propulsive, and feeding mechanisms of an artificial, water boatman-inspired organism marine robot. The work is the demonstration of energetically autonomy in a microbial fuel cell (MFC)-powered, swimming robot taking energy from its surrounding aqueous environment.  The energy generated has been shown to exceed the energy required to refuel. Biomimicry of the water boatman beetle has driven key design features resulting in system optimization including morphology to suit the drag profile required for power and recovery propulsion phases and combined floatation and oxygen supply.