Flea-like robots double as pollution detectors

Developing robots with flea-like attributes seems to be quite popular these days, as researchers at the University of Lucca have apparently created a diminutive bot that was "developed to detect mercury poisoning in the ground and leap from place to place the way fleas or frogs jump." The creature measures in at ten-centimeters long and weighs just 80-grams, and can supposedly cover "vast amounts of land in shorter amounts of time" compared to less efficient pollution-seeking alternatives. Currently, the critters are purportedly being loosed in the wild with "special mercury-deteting sensors," so be sure not to squash any hard workin' mechanical pests if one accidentally hops in your tent.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[Bernhard @ Aug 17th 2007 7:38AM]

It runs/leaps away from doom.

[gian @ Aug 17th 2007 8:19AM]

I would be very interested in seeing the power source for these little critters. Even at 80 grams, covering any sort of distance by leaping requires a large amount of kinetic energy. Getting this type of mechanical energy from an electrical source would be very taxing, and likely drain a sub-80g battery of any kind in a very short time.

[oshean @ Aug 17th 2007 9:32AM]

I, for one, don't want to read any mercury sipping, frog-like jumping, robot overlord comments.

[Chekote @ Aug 17th 2007 10:13AM]

What is it with engadget and "loosed"???

[pauly @ Aug 17th 2007 1:34PM]

Anyone remember the cartoon Fantastic Voyage?
Just make bigger robots and shrink 'em.

[Dirk L. @ Aug 17th 2007 6:53PM]

Nice, now we can detect environmental pollution by polluting the environment with little defunct robots.
Or does anyone really belive they would last longer than a day?

[elik @ Aug 20th 2007 12:55PM]

Why don't they just make the car detect if you're driving like an a-hole? Wouldn't that be a better use of technology? Why go all nanny state?