Robotic EcoMow cuts and uses grass as fuel
(Phys.org) —A self-fueled, self-guiding robotic mower is in the works from a Fairfax, Virginia based group; they are preparing a prototype by April. The company, by the same name, EcoMow Technologies, describes its device as a self-fueled mower as well as grass pellet harvester. Fundamentally, they intend to deliver a platform for harvesting and processing grassy biomass, and a fuel system technology to take advantage of the produced pellet fuel. The mower uses the grassy biomass that it harvests as fuel, and processes the biomass that it does not use into a dried pellet form, which can be used for heating or power generation. Looking into the company's beginnings, Gigaom said that George Mason University graduate student Jason Force, who now serves as the company's chief design engineer, several years ago started thinking about creating a lawn mower that might be able to power itself with the grass it harvested.