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Algae Batteries!

Cellulose is an amazingly versatile molecule, it helps plants and algae store energy, it feeds animals of all shapes and sizes, it’s the main ingredient in paper, it’s being used to make biofuels, and apparently it can also hold an electrical charge, essentially making a tiny, flexible, biodegradable battery. Different plants and species of algae have cellulose with different properties that are optimal for different uses, and apparently one of the species of algae that is most damaging in algal blooms, Cladophora, also has the cellulose with the best battery-like properties.

Biological electricity is something that is being heavily explored right now. Some organisms are naturally able to produce electricity (like electric eels and at much lower voltage, many species of bacteria). The idea of using biological materials that don’t have an electrical function in their natural context in batteries or other electronics is fascinating and opens up a whole set of possibilities for biomaterials that I had never really considered before. Perhaps with some more engineering, environmentally-friendly biological batteries (and who knows what else) could be a reality!

(via Seed, via LiveScience)


Tags: technologybioenergyelectronicsalgaenews
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Electronic Noses


Biomimetic electronic noses are designed to mimic the olfactory system of mammals, with receptors that respond to certain chemicals, sending an electronic signal to a computer that can integrate the responses in order to identify the odorant. These systems are useful in industrial food preparation, where contamination by microorganisms must be detected as soon as possible. A fascinating new paper attempts to improve these electronic noses my linking the combinations of receptor signals to common smell metaphors used by real humans, like “This flavour is sweet”.

From the paper’s abstract:

Smell provides important information about the quality of food and drink. Most well-known for their expertise in wine tasting, sommeliers sniff out the aroma of wine and describe them using beautiful metaphors. In contrast, electronic noses, devices that mimic our olfactory recognition system, also detect smells using their sensors but describe them using electronic signals. These devices have been used to judge the freshness of food or detect the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. However, unlike information from gas chromatography, it is difficult to compare odour information collected by these devices because they are made for smelling specific smells and their data are relative intensities. Here, we demonstrate the use of an absolute-value description method using known smell metaphors, and early detection of yeast using the method. This technique may help distinguishing microbial-contamination of food products earlier, or improvement of the food-product qualities.

This idea is so interesting; combining in a biomimetic system not only the molecular components of chemical sensing in the nose, but also the integrative aspects of smell and taste and flavor that the brain does. Will there be an electronic sommelier someday?


Tags: tastebiomimeticselectronicstechnologypaper
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Biology is Technology


Rob Carlson’s forthcoming book (<- Amazon link for pre-order), Biology is Technology: The Promise, Peril, and New Business of Engineering Life now has a blog with the first chapter posted online! It’s fascinating so far, I’m really looking forward to reading the rest!


Tags: bookstechnologyindustry
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IBM is publicizing a novel gene sequencing technology they are developing as the &#8220;DNA Transistor&#8221;. With this system a single strand of DNA can be sequenced by being pushed through a tiny hole on a microprocessor that will read the small changes in the electrical field depending on whether the letter passing through the pore is an A, T, C, or G. I have recently become fascinated with the &#8220;computer language&#8221; that people use to describe biological systems and novel biotechnologies. Often the metaphor between electronic and biological systems is instructive in some way, but in the case of the &#8220;DNA Transistor&#8221; I think the metaphor to electrical components is inappropriate and confusing. My background is in biology, so it&#8217;s possible that my grasp of the basics of electronics is not as good as it should be, but I&#8217;m pretty sure microchip sequencing technology doesn&#8217;t really have much to do with a transistor. Even as a reference to the transistor as a basic unit of electronics the association with high-tech sequencing technology eludes me. Am I missing something? via Singularity Hub

IBM is publicizing a novel gene sequencing technology they are developing as the “DNA Transistor”. With this system a single strand of DNA can be sequenced by being pushed through a tiny hole on a microprocessor that will read the small changes in the electrical field depending on whether the letter passing through the pore is an A, T, C, or G. I have recently become fascinated with the “computer language” that people use to describe biological systems and novel biotechnologies. Often the metaphor between electronic and biological systems is instructive in some way, but in the case of the “DNA Transistor” I think the metaphor to electrical components is inappropriate and confusing. My background is in biology, so it’s possible that my grasp of the basics of electronics is not as good as it should be, but I’m pretty sure microchip sequencing technology doesn’t really have much to do with a transistor. Even as a reference to the transistor as a basic unit of electronics the association with high-tech sequencing technology eludes me. Am I missing something?

via Singularity Hub


Tags: sequencinggeneticstechnologycomputers
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Scientists Use Inkjet Printer to Manipulate Genes in New Ways

Scientists Use Inkjet Printer to Manipulate Genes in New Ways


Tags: technologyhacking
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Inhabitat&#160;» First Algae-Powered Car Attempts to Cross US on 25 Gallons Just yesterday San Francisco saw the unveiling of the world’s first algae fuel-powered vehicle, dubbed the Algaeus. The plug-in hybrid car, which is a Prius tricked out with a nickel metal hydride battery and a plug, runs on green crude from Sapphire Energy — no modifications to the gasoline engine necessary. The set-up is so effective, according to FUEL producer Rebecca Harrell, that the Algaeus can run on approximately 25 gallons from coast to coast!

Inhabitat » First Algae-Powered Car Attempts to Cross US on 25 Gallons

Just yesterday San Francisco saw the unveiling of the world’s first algae fuel-powered vehicle, dubbed the Algaeus. The plug-in hybrid car, which is a Prius tricked out with a nickel metal hydride battery and a plug, runs on green crude from Sapphire Energy — no modifications to the gasoline engine necessary. The set-up is so effective, according to FUEL producer Rebecca Harrell, that the Algaeus can run on approximately 25 gallons from coast to coast!

Tags: biofuelsbioenergytechnology
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