Completely edible robots could soon end up on our plates. A research team from Lausanne has shown which ingredients could be used for the various robot parts. Check out our selection of newsletters. Subscribe here. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) announced on Friday that rubber could be replaced by gelatine, a chocolate film could protect robots in humid environments and a mixture of starch and tannins, plant-based tanning agents, could imitate commercially available adhesives. The research was published in the journal Nature Reviews Materials. + Switzerland – where the robots of tomorrow are born An edible battery also already exists: it consists of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and quercetin, a substance found in almonds and capers. The poles of the battery contain activated carbon to transport electrons. Nori algae ensure that short circuits are prevented. The battery can be operated at 0.65 volts, according to the EPFL. A voltage that is still safe if eaten.
