edithrenas: Harvesting Power From Lobsters and Snails

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Harvesting Power From Lobsters and Snails

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Energy from this lobster powered a small motor in a lab at Clarkson University.
Photo: Ben Stechschulte

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Good news: An electrical grid powered by human bodies, as seen in The Matrix, might be feasible! Teams of researchers at three universities—Clarkson, Case Western Reserve, and Joseph Fourier in France—have recently figured out ways to harvest power from living organisms. Granted, turning beings into generators raises a few ethical issues. But consider the upsides: Batteries deplete rather quickly. But because biofuel cells use enzymes to convert glucose or other compounds into electricity, the lifespan of these energy sources could be as long as the lifespan of the organism. This could theoretically lead to devices like a human-powered pacemaker. Imagine what the marketers who dreamed up the Energizer Bunny could do with a DuraLobster. Here’s a look at a few ongoing animal-to-energy projects. Five creatures and the maximum power they produced

Lobster

Output: 12 microwatts Enzyme-coated sheets of carbon nanotubes formed electrodes that researchers implanted in the animal’s back. This biofuel cell produced a charge that’s about a third of the voltage of a AAA battery.

Cockroach

Output: N/A Researchers employed capacitors to store a cockroach’s electrical output and used the energy to transmit radio signals. The goal: create a cyborg insect that can be controlled with a joystick.

Snail

Output: 7.45 microwatts When fed a healthy diet of carrots, the snail produced enough juice to run a pacemaker. This could lead to implantable medical devices that are powered by the patient’s body.

Clam

Output: 37 microwatts Scientists linked three clams from the grocery store and used the energy to run a tiny electric motor. They allowed the clams time to rest between harvesting sessions so the bivalves could regenerate their blood sugar levels.

Rat

Output: 6.5 microwatts Researchers put electrodes in the abdomen of a 1-pound male rat. They harvested electricity from the rat’s blood for three months, which led them to believe it would be possible to develop self-powered artificial organs.