Dawn of the bioelectronic 'cellborg'

Remember this day folks 'cause as far as we can tell, scientists at the University of Nebraska are the first to successfully build a bioelectronic device from a living microorganism. Their humidity sensor came to life by depositing bacteria coated with gold nanoparticles onto a standard silicon chip inlaid with gold electrodes. The living bacteria swell and contract across the electrodes in response to humidity resulting in a measurable change in the flow of an applied electrical current. The bacteria can survive in this way for about two days yet continue to work all zombie-like for up to a month after their death. Researches envision the day when carbonaceous ingesting microbes replace batteries to power our circuits. One small step for man, one giant leap towards bacterial assimilation.

[Via Slashdot]

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

The beginning of the end...oh great..what is the most prevalent problem in hosptals...baterial infections..now we are creating to be used in electronics..we have over reacted to trying to keep "clean" with bacterial soap but to create these is a bit irresponsible..whats next..antibacterial spray for the ipod...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

Oh man... I bet the folks at PETA are none too happy about this disgusting and primitive misuse of nature's, uh, creatures.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I doubt PETA would care too much. Bacteria aren't exactly "animals" after all. People For the Ethical Treatment of Bacterial Growths and Colonies (PETBGC), however, will be furious.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I really wouldn't be surprised if PETBGC is a real entity.

This is kind of scary.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

Well yeah, I mean... covering it with a metallic coating? Isn't that how the tin man died?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

AHHHHH THE PUPPET MASTER GHOST HACKED MY CYBER BRAIN!!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

The dawn? It's been done before. Biosensors are an essential component of accurate, fast and on-site measurements of different toxins. All are pretty much done the same way you described.

Then when you want to use them you take a capsule with bacteria out of storage and attach it to the device.


There are actually companies that make this "for a living".

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I, for one, welcome our new bacteria overlords.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I thought I saw this a year or two ago, but it came out in the web Friday.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0224_030224_DNAcomputer.html

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

MTV will probably do a 'Pimp my Bacteria' for scientists soon.
"I got TV's in the back of my microbes, so the haters can see what I'm watchin'!" "For sho'"

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

...the singularity is near