Microbial fuel cell insights bring practical poo power closer to reality
By Barb Dybwad 
posted Jan 5th 2008 10:26PM
posted Jan 5th 2008 10:26PM
It's been a while since we had an update from the exciting frontier of microbial fuel cell technology, but researchers at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute report a recent breakthrough in understanding exactly why bacteria seem to enjoy donating their electrons for the potential betterment of gadgetkind. The ASU team developed an equation that describes the relationship between the rate of bacterial metabolism and the electrical potential of the fuel cell, enabling a much more accurate model of how an MFC actually works. The researchers are working with this information to optimize fuel cell performance and power output, which to date has been disappointingly inefficient. Before long, we could totally be taking it for granted that our robotic underlings are powered by beer and poo.
not sure if i'd hit it. i'd need to knock a few back first
wow, finally something that OPEC can't touch, I mean..they can't 'buy' the rights to produce shit.
ahh u underestimate the power of oil!!!
Nice! I just have to add these into a house's septic tank and I will be gold.
Because we all strive for a world in which air is clean, yet smells like shit.
sounds like Matrix's plot.
Human will eventually "process" the earth material into organic to generate Mathernal for the machine to consume..
Barb! You've been gone since last CES!!! Wierd.........but cool :-)
every year they thaw me from my cryogenic slumber for the nefarious purposes of CES. PARTY TIME!
Woot Woot!
mmm... currently all presidential candidates are talking about the energy crisis... the one that mentions this one wins my vote! this is better than wind, sun, and others... unless we evolved into assless creatures which can take years this energy source will be available.
Am I the only one that read Microsoft Foundation Classes?
A Beer powered robot?
How Original :)