Objects around the house can be dangerous if we aren’t looking – but with these new creations, there could be a time when they become positively frightening. Among their creations are a wall clock and a light powered by trapping flies and a table that feeds on mice.
Auger and Loizeauhave been showing off their ‘carnivorous domestic entertainment robots’ at science exhibitions. The pair were inspired by a visit to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, which has been developing robots that power themselves using microbial fuel cells. These extract electrical energy from refined foods such as sugar and unrefined foods such as insects and fruit as well as animals.
Mr Auger admits the robot furniture is provocative. ‘Some people are appalled by it but others are fascinated,’ he said. We play on something that is powerful in human nature, the idea of life and death.’
At the less bloodthirsty end of their work, the clock traps the insects on a belt covered in honey which acts as bait and glue. The insect-eating light and clock have been tested with live food but animal lovers will be happy to know that no mice have been harmed in the making of the table.
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