Unfortunately, science has yet to develop a convincing robot 'Shrimp Lover's Combo'

This is not the actual robot lobster. But you've seen
one robot lobster, you've seen 'em all, I always say.

This week's Invention of the Week award goes to a robot lobster designed by an inventor at Northeastern University, who apparently somehow found time to invent it in between Red Sox- and Patriots-inspired street riots.

The lobster, an entry at Wired Magazine's annual NextFest in Chicago, is meant to troll the sea floor for mines. What it does with the mines when it finds them is unclear, although "crush them in its vice-like grip" would be a fairly cool option.

While real lobsters might feel threatened by such a development, it's worth pointing out that, despite the robot lobster's very expensive mechanical muscles made from the same metal mesh material used to make the stents implanted in heart patients, you still wouldn't want to eat one. Well, at least not without a lot of melted butter.