New micromotor enslaves bacteria for micro power

So, it's not going to power your car anytime soon, but a new micromotor developed by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology could have all sorts of potential other than lugging our lazy asses around town. The new motor measures a mere 20-microns in diameter, with 6 blades that each have a foot sitting in a 0.5-micron deep groove sketched in silicon. The groove and the feet are treated with some proteins that cause bacteria in the trench to move in a certain direction -- horse and carrot style. Researchers are banking on the tech to power microdevices of the future, including micromachines and miniature pumps for medical purposes. We're just proud to be members of a human race that has brought even micron-sized bacteria under its iron rule.

[Luke @ Aug 31st 2006 2:05PM]

Haha... awesome.

[K @ Oct 29th 2006 10:49PM]

That's great. Let's give the bacteria a WORKOUT. Who thought of that fantastic idea...

[simon @ Aug 31st 2006 2:10PM]

I for one hope the bacteria welcome us as their human overlords

[blackfeather @ Aug 31st 2006 2:13PM]

nicely done, simon...

It also doubles as the worlds smallest Chinese throwing star.

[Paul @ Aug 31st 2006 2:15PM]

its gonna power micromachines?! man those things were cool when i was a kid but once they have enslaved bacteria at the wheel!!! HOT DAYUM

[Nick @ Aug 31st 2006 2:51PM]

They really need to have the guy that talks really fast from the old micromachines commercials advertise this when it is commercial available.

[Tracy L @ Aug 31st 2006 2:54PM]

According to the movie, this is how Conan was created. The're gonna get really big and kill us later.

[foing @ Aug 31st 2006 3:07PM]

So what happens when the bacteria die?

[aeo @ Aug 31st 2006 4:21PM]

Are the proteins consumed or merely act like a direction signal for the EBUs (Enslaved Bacterial Units)? If not consumed, I would guess that whatever attracts the bacteria to the machine in the first place would cause them to propogate and make new little ESUs? The question really is going to be how to best pay the amoeba task masters that stand by, whip in hand, to ensure productivity.

[Frankenstein Black @ Aug 31st 2006 5:29PM]

WOW! The nanobots now have a new motor, with an endless source of fuel no less. Nanotechnology in the hands of unenlightened human beings. HOW DOOMED ARE WE!! (Now read you knuckle heads ;^)...
http://www.e-drexler.com/d/06/00/EOC/EOC_Table_of_Contents.html

[shon @ Aug 31st 2006 5:46PM]

LMFAO @ aeo!! Those bacteria will pay for our grief!

[WhetWurm @ Aug 31st 2006 7:18PM]

Wait until PETA hear about this...

[Timerider @ Aug 31st 2006 7:47PM]

Then they rebel...

[tekdemon @ Sep 1st 2006 2:41AM]

foing, bacteria are eternal...
No, seriously dude, all the bacteria you see (well, ok you can't really see them without a microscope) are actually billions of years old. There's really no such thing as a young bacteria, because bacteria reproduce by binary fission-basically it just splits in two. So all the current bacteria are splits from some ancient bacteria from a bazillion years ago.

And so you see, bacteria are immortal! Well, except they die a lot. But they split so much and mutate so fast that some splits don't die lol.

[Matt @ Sep 1st 2006 12:45PM]

those scientists must hae been really bored to come up with something like that they are probably white people hateing african american so they had to enslave the bacteria caause enslaveing people is illegal

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