MIT students' Biocell creates electricity from biomass on the cheap

Five MIT students under the team name BioVolt have created a $2 gadget that uses biomass to generate electricity. The output of the device isn't particularly significant -- six months to charge your cell means you shouldn't throw away that charger just yet -- but the low cost of the components, the availability of "biomass," and the capability for chaining multiple devices together means this is the perfect solution for isolated areas or poor communities. It's good news for the researchers too, who happened to win $5,000 in a design competition for their efforts. Good show lads.

[Ziggit @ Oct 7th 2007 1:45AM]

I really hope they release plans, that would be a really fun/interesting project to build.

[Rob @ Oct 7th 2007 2:08AM]

Top contestants for the next Christmas issue of Playgirl.

It would be nice to see if they can achieve the same results proportionally.

[TJF @ Oct 7th 2007 3:27AM]

Both articles state five MIT students yet the picture is of seven people. Did two people just pop up in back to be in the picture?

[Yubastard @ Oct 7th 2007 3:40AM]

the two guys far back in the middle seem like they did absolutely nothing about the project.

they look fairly older too hehe teachers?

[Andrew @ Oct 7th 2007 4:53PM]

The rules of the contest only allowed us to have 5 people on the official team. One graduate student and one post-doc were not on the official team (only "contributors"). Everyone contributed though.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Oct 7th 2007 6:52AM]

This is like Engadget Deja Vu; you guys posted this same story two days ago.

[Eldiablo @ Oct 7th 2007 7:01AM]

Good work Braniacs!

Looks like an early prototype for a "Mr Fusion home energy reactor".

[Spenecer @ Oct 8th 2007 9:21AM]

YES! That is the first thing I was thinking when I saw this too. Mr. Fusion. Hope to get my Flux Capacitor soon too.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 7th 2007 8:17AM]

They look exhausted.
(claps hands)

Quickly, some egg salad and prune juice for our guests!

[Rog @ Oct 7th 2007 10:59AM]

nice, but I don't think my aim is good enough to take a dump in one of those containers.

[John @ Oct 7th 2007 11:02AM]

They said "biomass"...heh heh...

[hikeskool @ Oct 7th 2007 11:15AM]

Nah, this can't be real.

There aren't 5 white guys who go to MIT.

[Tachikomatic @ Oct 7th 2007 11:27AM]

if(target.equals(human) && target.weight >= 150)
{
target.eat();
}

[Devin @ Oct 7th 2007 11:49AM]

Whoa, I totally went to high school with the guy in the black shirt

[Russell @ Oct 7th 2007 12:08PM]

Now maybe one of them can win a date, or at least buy one with the $5000.

[rento @ Oct 7th 2007 1:52PM]

Great stuff!

[Kalev @ Oct 7th 2007 9:54PM]

Does anyone else wonder if it's such a great idea to build a machine that essentially digests "biomass"?

Sure, it's just nibbling on an appetizer of cellulosic detritus for now, but it can't be too long before our future robot overlords start looking at us while licking their cold, steely lips....

[Matthew Hilario @ Oct 8th 2007 12:08PM]

So I can sacrifice my babies for energy?

[gnomic @ Oct 9th 2007 3:14PM]

Now my Soylent Green can be used to generate power too!

I'd love to see this as a science kit for kids/hobbiests to build!