Batteries Powered by a Virus

by Rob Walker | August 25, 2008 at 10:15 am

830 views | 11 Recommendations | 10 comments

Batteries powered by...a virus?

It sounds like something out of a comic book, but scientists are working on a mixture of a harmless, genetically engineered virus that will provide cheap, easy to produce power sources.

While it would be creepy wearing a watch powered by a virus, I think the reality is we live with viruses and bacteria around us (and in us) all the time, and controlling them might be a positive step to take.

By pouring a mixture of the harmless, genetically engineered M13 virus and the metal cobalt over stamped silicon film, Angela Belcher and her colleagues created a flexible, microscopic battery that could be cheaply mass produced.
In theory, it could turn virtually any surface -- from large computers to tiny implanted detectors for cancer or heart disease -- into an energy-storing device.

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Uwe Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 10:53 on August 25th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I just hope the Virus stays in the Battery.

rpshen

at 07:56 on August 26th, 2008

lol at Paschen's comment. I agree.

SOLARLIFE

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 12:50 on August 26th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. MIT like always spectecular, GMO-virus battery "genetically engineered M13 virus", dangerous experiment, prefer microbial fuel cell on natural matter like leaves and natural bacterias. In china are rumours ongoing, that genetically engineered micro-insects eating into cotton plants "parasites", survive in cheap manufactured socks, eating up human skin. Could not verify exact source up to now, but seems world scandal...

dato1937

at 14:03 on August 26th, 2008

I saw this on the road and didn't have my camera, so I brought it home and recreated the scene.

dato1937 has contributed a photo to this story.

indianleads

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 00:12 on August 27th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. However, isn't something like this dangerous in the long run when this application is used in large projects ?

Hovork

at 01:56 on August 27th, 2008

ok,just make a good use of this pic,good luck.

Hovork has contributed a photo to this story.

Rankins

at 02:28 on August 27th, 2008

Canon 350D

Horizon has contributed a photo to this story.

ragnar1984

at 10:52 on August 27th, 2008

Just a picture of a battery charger I turned into a power supply. I took it to illustrate a comment in a Flickr usergroup discussion

ragnar1984 has contributed a photo to this story.

Dakota Courtois

at 07:22 on September 1st, 2008

This isn't exactly a battery per-se, it's a label off my old tablet's battery pack that came from some random company.

Dakota Courtois has contributed a photo to this story.