By Heather McLean, 12 December 2001 16:35
NEWS A team at the University of the West of England has created a slug-sucking robot, powered by methane. "Slugbot" trundles around picking up slugs. The robot arm then dumps the creatures into an internal compartment. As the slugs rot, methane is given off. The machine uses this methane as its fuel. Rob Howard, horticultural development manager from the Soil Association, said: "Slugs are one of the biggest problems facing gardeners that work organically. "Last year someone had so many slugs on their strawberries, they bought in a team of hedgehogs from a hedgehog recovery centre to eat them." Further research is being continued by the team based on Slugbot's self sustaining energy autonomy, this time using plant material rather than dead slugs. Slugbots cost around £90,000 to create and was only produced to the stage of concept, so it is not commercially available.
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