Plants Beat Humans to Cyborg Status
Mexican artist Gilberto Esparza is helping nature take it all back.
Esparza has created the Planta Nomada, a hybrid plant/robot that runs on water-faring microorganisms and looks bloody awesome to boot. Scary, when you consider plants can now move of their own volition, but awesome nonetheless.
When the fuel source (the microscopic critters) need their own food, the plantbot shuffles towards water, where the organisms convert their food into electricty, to power the bot. The plants also get fed, too – everyone wins!
No word on what the robot does when it’s not hungry – probably contemplates life’s mysteries. But regardless, this is an art piece first and foremost, so don’t expect militarized treeborgs to be destroying the world’s cities just yet.
If you’re reading this from Spain, the Planta Nomada is on display at the LABoral Art and Industrial Creation Centre in Gijon until May 24th. You can’t miss it – it’ll be the one with leaves and gears.
[Via CNet]
