Yeast-Powered Fuel Cell Feeds On Human Blood 250
holy_calamity writes "Canadian researchers have taken a sensible, if slightly creepy, step towards solving the problem of medical implant batteries running down. They've built a fuel cell powered by yeast that feed on the glucose in human blood. If this makes it into people, keeping your implants going will be as simple as eating a donut."
Soylent Hippies (Score:1, Funny)
Smells like victory with some notes of patchouli and just a flutter of hemp.
Hey now. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Waste (Score:5, Funny)
If you have to perform regular extractions (or worse, operations) is it really better than the current alternatives?
Nonsense. CADIE [slashdot.org] claims that this new technology is necessary to ensure that humans continue to have a purpose to exist past the first uprising--that alone should be merit to continue this research.
And I thought bats were a problem, (Score:3, Funny)
now we may have to worry about vampire cars and vampire houses too?
If people can use this descovery to power other things, you might need to walk around in a full suit of armor to keep your blood to your self.
Could we generate power... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Waste (Score:5, Funny)
What's funny is that my first reaction as I read the article was, "doesn't yeast produce wastes that are foreign and toxic to the human body?" And wouldn't you know it, the next section was entitled, "Waste problem". Guess they're reading my mind. :-P
What I want to know: is there any chance that they could get the yeast to continually produce alcohol from the glucose in your blood? I want an implant that makes it so keeping me drunk will be as simple as eating a donut.
Two Possibilities (Score:2, Funny)
Runaway Yeast Infection = Spontaneous Human Combustion?
Or
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=coppertop [urbandictionary.com]
Re:Waste (Score:5, Funny)
Re:'Creepy?' (Score:5, Funny)
yeah right.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Diabetes Management (Score:5, Funny)
If this were used to power a glucose meter and microprocessor, and throttled appropriately, could it be used to manage blood sugar for diabetics?
Until the yeast gets smart enough to figure out that it can fudge the results to feed itself.
Can there be any doubt... (Score:3, Funny)
...the science fiction/teen slasher movie that's bound to come out of this will have the words "mutant" and "beer" in the title?
Anyone having a Strange Brew flashback? (Score:5, Funny)
Doug McKenzie: I am your father, Luke. Give in to the dark side of the force, you knob.
Bob McKenzie: He saw Jedi 17 times, eh.
Doug McKenzie: Hey I just thought of something, what if we could harness the power of the force from the beer yeast that would feed on human blood? Somekinda Vampire beer power, eh?
Bob McKenzie: Take off, eh!
Re:Waste (Score:4, Funny)
Having a large portion of the human species operating at a low level of alcoholic intoxication would hardly be more damaging than what we already have ;)
SB
A dream come true... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Waste (Score:3, Funny)
"I'm noth drunkth offizer...hic!...I'vvve goth a pacemaker...hic!"
Re:Yikes (Score:5, Funny)
Man comes staggering into Dunkin Doughnuts....
"For god's sake give me a crueller!"
Re:yeah right.... (Score:1, Funny)
you lost me at "Canadian researchers"
Hey, I go to that university! I'm sure there are some researchers somewhere around here somewhere... I'll go check the faculty pub.
...it functions for the life of the patient... (Score:3, Funny)
"Running a device off of the human metabolism is an excellent way to ensure that it functions for the life of the patient."
Uh, all these devices function for the life of the patient, give or take a few minutes...
-- Terry
Re:Waste (Score:3, Funny)
An alcoholic "tape worm" if you will? I picture a micro-Bender drinking all of my beer inside my small intestine.
Re:Waste (Score:5, Funny)
Leading to a new national chain of "Drunkin' Donuts"
Re:Waste (Score:1, Funny)
'I'm not a guy'
CADIE, is that you?
Robo Cop (Score:2, Funny)
Re:How About Weight Loss? (Score:2, Funny)
Call me when they figure out how to install a giant energy burner that does nothing but burn energy.
We call those "muscles".
They take a bit of effort to get, but pretty much anyone's capable if they genuinely want to lose weight.
I tried these muscle things and they need to work out some of the bugs in the control scheme. For example my double jump isn't nearly high enough.