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Abstract Aquatic mobile robots are gaining attention for their potential to revolutionize marine monitoring and exploration within the Ocean Internet of Things. A significant challenge for these untethered robots, especially in remote areas, is achieving energy autonomy. This work presents an innovative self‐sustaining energy system for compact aquatic robots, inspired by biological digestion. Utilizing microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology, organic materials found in aquatic environments are converted into electricity through catalytic redox reactions. To extend the MFC's lifespan, spore‐forming Bacillus subtilis is used as the anodic biocatalyst, leveraging its ability to endure harsh conditions and reactivate in favorable environments, thus enhancing the MFC's longevity. To ensure a steady supply of organic substrates for microbial viability, a biomimetic Janus membrane with asymmetric surface wettability is integrated, enabling selective substrate intake. Additionally, stability mechanisms inspired by water striders allow the robot to move efficiently across water surfaces. The robot mimics the water strider's movement using a motor powered by microbial metabolism, fueled by organic nutrients via the Janus membrane. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using natural processes for technological advancement, setting new benchmarks in the design of autonomous systems.
Elhadad et al. (Sat,) studied this question.