Robotic Technologies, Inc., is under contract from the Pentagon to develop a steam-powered robot that will fuel itself by eating organic material. Known as the Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) can travel about 100 miles on 150 lbs of organic matter. This would make the robot able to roam the landscape for extended periods, such as months or even years without needing to be refueled.

The energy sources can be conventional, such as diesel, or organic. Although Robotic Technologies emphasizes plant materials, such as grasses, wood and other plants as an energy source, the reality is that any organic material will work. This includes animal and human bodies. In effect, EATR is a robotic zombie programmed to kill for its food.

The Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) forages the countryside gobbling up fuel for its external combustion engine that operates in a closed loop as it generates electricity.