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Science Forum Index » Nanotechnology Forum » Power from blood could lead to 'human batteries'
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 Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 9:52 am |
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Power from blood could lead to 'human batteries'
August 4 2003
A device that produces electricity from blood could be used to turn people
into "human batteries".
Researchers in Japan are developing a method of drawing power from blood
glucose, mimicking the way the body generates energy from food.
Theoretically, it could allow a person to pump out 100 watts - enough to
illuminate a light bulb.
But that would entail converting all the food eaten by the individual into
electricity. In practice, less power would be generated since food is needed
by the body.
However the scientists say the "bio-nano" generator could be used to run
devices embedded in the body, or sugar-fed robots.
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The team at electronics giant Panasonic's Nanotechnology Research Laboratory
near Kyoto has so far only managed to produce very low power levels.
But the scientists ultimately expect to gain much greater performance from
the device.
The battery is based on an enzyme capable of stripping glucose of its
electrons, The Engineer magazine reported.
Dr Kazuo Eda, heading the research, said: "It is like the metabolism of
food. Human bodies can process glucose and obtain energy. When glucose is
oxidised, electrons can be obtained."
He believed bio-nano fuel cells were the next step for researchers after
generators powered by hydrogen, natural gas and methanol now being developed
for the car and energy industries.
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