MIT researchers use virus to build tiny batteries

A small team at MIT has been spending the last few years trying to coax an organism to self-assemble into super thin lithium-ion battery out of tiny "nanowire" structures. The process involves a gene-manipulated version of a common virus which collects cobalt oxide and gold, and then assembles itself as an ultrathin wire on top of thin film. The wires are 6 nanometers in diameter, 880 nanometers in length, and a full fledged battery can be the size of a grain of rice. Once the genes are modified, the researchers say they can easily replicate millions of the wires. While this might sound like a good fit for a B-movie plot, it also sounds like they've managed to develop a rather large jump in battery tech. It looks like the first application for this tech will be for mini batteries like those of hearing aids, but there are hopes this tech can eventually make its way into laptops and perhaps even power electric cars in the future, thanks to its high density and potential for world ending catastrophe.

[mb @ Apr 7th 2006 3:29PM]

Hah! that mst3k is one of the best.

[kel @ Apr 7th 2006 3:41PM]

I saw one comment posted to this article and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if it's about MST3K?"

LOL

[zenprime @ Apr 7th 2006 3:53PM]

You know I love "The Brain that wouldn't Die"

But sweetness on better batteries. How long till we get mp3 players that fit into your ear?

[sharon @ Apr 7th 2006 4:22PM]

that would be rad...wonder how i can be on the trial for the hearing aid batteries and how long they would last. regular ones last me a week and ahalf.

and the new digital hearing aids you can hook your mp3 player up to em. no headphones required....

but i cant afford them. :(

[SuperQ @ Apr 7th 2006 5:15PM]

Jan in the pan!

[VEGA @ Apr 7th 2006 7:24PM]

I need to get that poster for TBtWD! I got the movie, but my DVD box is in color. I like the poster pic in fascist colors ;)

[Tallon @ Apr 8th 2006 9:51AM]

Dude! with batteries like these, the next mp3 generations will just be a set of earbuds. And maybe some headphones, for people that prefer those

[Dan @ Apr 9th 2006 1:20PM]

haha stupid flu virus, now you power my ipod

[Cell Phone Batteries @ Apr 10th 2006 9:49AM]

Technology is growing or shall we say shrinking very fast indeed. Soon batteries will be that small the phones themselves will be the size of credit card.

[Mike @ Apr 10th 2006 4:00PM]

One step closer to Borg assimilation