  Dense active matter, from bacterial suspensions and microtubule bundles
driven by motor proteins to cellular monolayers and synthetic Janus particles,
is characterised by mesoscale turbulence, the emergence of chaotic flow
structures. By immersing an ordered array of symmetric rotors in an active
fluid, we introduce a microfluidic system that exploits spontaneous symmetry
breaking in mesoscale turbulence to generate work. The lattice of rotors
self-organises into a spin-state where neighbouring discs continuously rotate
in permanent alternating directions due to combined hydrodynamic and elastic
effects. Our virtual prototype demonstrates a new research direction for the
design of micromachines powered by the nematohydrodynamic properties of active
turbulence.
