They trained the virus to grow in a particular way; after a few tweaks to some genes, the virus grew into a functioning electronic device. The virus was actually changed to grow into the anode part of a battery, while the cathode part was provided by synthetic polymers.
The advantages of this technique are two-fold: the researchers now believe they can create a battery the size of a grain of rice, and, if successful, it is thought these types of batteries can hold up to three times the energy of current battery technology.
Because the research is funded by the Army Research Office, it is thought the first application of the technology will be seen in Defense work.
Read more at BetaNews.
After a little manipulation a virus can become a very useful tool it seems. Creating a battery that can be as small as a grain of rice, while holding three times the energy of anything on the market today means it is going to be research that is followed very closely by battery companies.
We are all waiting for fuel cell technology, but this discovery would still be useful in the short term, due to the double benefits. Anything mobile is going to benefit from using one of these batteries, especially cellphones where space inside the case is at a premium. It may also mean phones can get smaller or thinner once again.
Because this is a Defense-funded project, we may never see it hit the commercial market. It's also possible fuel cells will reach market first. As it currently stands, any new battery technology that comes out may end up being a non-starter if the fuel cell technology makes it to market first.
USER COMMENTS 32 comment(s)
|Fuel Cells are NOT the end all. (10:22am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
I disagree, Fuel Cells are nice and all but they use a messey resource that is not as easily recharged as plugging into a wall jack. Normal batteries will always have their place. Atlest bateries of some type that renew from an electric charge will. - by Eric the Red.
|Confused (10:22am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Yes I have read and re-read the article but I am still confused…need more coffee. Is this a biological virus and they are using a pun when speaking of “destroying software” or is this an actual computer virus. Stupid question but the wording of the article could go either way. Right now I'm leaning towards biological - by Don't laugh at me :)
|Don't laugh at me (10:31am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
same doubts here.
the linked article says it is an organism. - by kw
|Energy density (10:33am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
This technique is making batteries that store 3x the energy density, not 3x the energy of anything on the market.
So, if you want the same charge, you can shrink the battery size in 3 from its current size. Alternatively, with the same size battery, it'll last 3x as long before it needs to be recharged.
And keep in mind that there are many, many unanswered questions from this article, including lifetime, can it be recharged, what temperature range can it operate over, etc.
I wouldn't worry about it being a Defense-funded project. That just means that they may have a customer willing to pay the very high cost for the technology, allowing it to be developed sufficiently to bring the costs down. Unless it is critical that other countries not have the technology (such as a new algorithm to guide a missile), the Defense department is happy to see commercialization of technology. It helps lower their costs, too.
|Personally, (10:41am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
I would like to see this hit the commercial market. I know there are still a few years away but still cool.
The downside is overcoming the inate fear the word 'virus' brings to the human mind. People will be afraid they will catch something from the use of the battery.
- by OldGoat
|Its biological (10:50am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
If you check the link it clears it up.
Its not even yet been developed to the size of a grain of rice and it 'could' be 2 – 3 x more effective as a battery at its current size. Know many batteries in phones the size of a grain of rice? Can they work at larger sizes or together?
Sounds exciting though I bet the military couldn't keep it to itself if it does work out. - by A Brit
|Why not use rice (11:38am EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Why not use rice as battery? - by who am I?
|Two Problems (12:29pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
1- do not touch the battery without a biohazard glove or you might get some unknown flesh eating bacteria!
2- keep the battery away from sunshine, uv and anything that can disintegrate a virus!
) - by 2nd Op
|gives whole new meaning to the words “dead battery” (12:48pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
I don't know much about viruses, I know that they are damn hard if not impossible to kill and that they tend to mutate very rapidly into new viruses.
So where are these little critter getting their energy from??? they need to feed on something to produce that electricity… - by dude
|Hey, Tinfoil Hatters (1:56pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Reads to me like the virus is only there long enough to deposite the metal bits in chains. And if it's being developed in the US, it'll have to get past Ralph Nader before you have to worry your about your little hand-sanitizer-bathed digits. - by Elroy
|?? (2:16pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
there's trillions of viruses every where we go. only a few hurt us. why bitch about this one? naive - by um
|Ethics (2:24pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
A virus is a living being, it had DNA, it shouldn't be converted in battery for the computers of the selfish species!
Have some respect - by Einstein
|PETV (2:27pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Are you suggesting PETV?
People For Ethical Treatment Of Viruses!
:) - by 2nd Op
|RE: Einstein (2:40pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Respect for a VIRUS?
What are you nuts!?
Why the hell would I respect something that could potentially kill me?
YOU ARE ON CRACK…GET SOME COUNCELLING! - by Anitvirus
|RE: Einstein (3:24pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
So the only thing something has to have in order for you to qualify it as life is DNA? That's a new twist on the philosophy of what is life. Some scientists say a Virus is alive and some say it is not…that reactions do not constitute life…cognitive thought does….but heck if DNA is the only thing necessary…thanks again Einstein for explaining the worlds questions. - by :P
|=/ (3:26pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
As far as I know Biological viruses DO NOT DESTROY SOFTWARE OR ANYTHING MECHANICAL… the opening line sucks…sorry just mho. - by IMHO
|Power to the people ! (3:33pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
“So, if you want the same charge, you can shrink the battery size in 3 from its current size. Alternatively, with the same size battery, it'll last 3x as long before it needs to be recharged.” I think bateries are small enough now (atleast on my cell phone) I would like it to last 3X longer though ! I have to recharge mine about every other day and every day if I use it too much :( So recharging every 3 days with good air time sounds awesome to me ! - by MarketWatcher
|Einstein you are not – viruses are not “alive” (3:40pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Viruses are biological in that they are made of DNA & RNA, but they are NOT classified as being “alive”.
Here's the definition from dictionary.com.
vi·rus ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vrs)
That's why we don't know how to get rid of viruses, they do not have a heart, they do not have a brain, no blood vessels, no ability to digest anything, they do not expell waste, almost no biological activity whatsoever goes on in a virus. In fact they aren'y even a cell, they are much, much smaller. They are niether plant, animal, or mineral but they often have charateristics of all three.
This is what makes them so hard to get rid of. When they are not living things they can't really be killed.
They invade a cell, attach their very simple DNA/RNA sequence to a cells chromozones (also RNA/DNA) and reproduce via that cells own replication mechanisms often times quite mutated from their origenal DNA/RNA sequence.
Even if the virus DNA/RNA itself does not mutate significantly, it has already mutated the cell by attching to it's DNA/RNA, this is called a diseased cell and they often replicat into millions of other diseased cells. In large enough numbers these diseased cells can kill the overall host organism which is why they are classified as parasites.
Viruses catch a ride on just about everything, including particles of air, water, mucus, skin, saliva, dirt, rodent droppins, pollen, whatever. At any given moment you are coming into contact will billions of them. - by darwinism
|darwinism & others (3:55pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
When the ESA probe will find a virus on Venus, it will be called life.
I don't care the definition of yo biased dictionary, if it has DNA it's alive. It's *organic* matter and it the shit don't belong in an electronic machine…imo - by Einstein
|einstien (5:54pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
hey einstein! you will be assimilated soon. - by amdBORG
|hybrid cars? (9:03pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
hmmm…the potential for hybrids. - by LEXUS
|A thought in the mind (10:38pm EST Mon Apr 10 2006)
Though it is just a thought that crossed my mind.. I am not afraid or anything.. But can we say mainpulation of virus.. with the same term as cell phone flu.. did I hear that - by caprice
|Einstein — don't like dictionary.com, use a different one (2:12am EST Tue Apr 11 2006)
every dictionary, medical doctor, and biologist on this planet will tell you the same thing.
DNA is not alive, it is a chain of ammino acids which are also not alive. Anyone who passed high school biology knows this.
Viruses are not classified as organisms because of the simple fact that they are not alive, niether are most poisons, trace minerals, water molecules, and numerous other things that all biological entities need to survive.
If they discover a virus on Venus or anywhere else hey will still call it a virus and not 'life'.
Also to be called *organic* matter a compound only needs to contain carbon molecules, alchohol, and most of the stuff found in gasoline are *organic* compounds and they aren't alive either.
If you want to pretend to be a great scientist try learning a little bit of it you idiot. Right now you couldn't pass most high school level science, biology or chemistry. - by darwinism
|Power Virus? (8:12am EST Tue Apr 11 2006)
Anything! …to remove chemical batteries for the hands of the majority given the way people tend to throw them away and them then ending up in their thousands in landfills worldwide – ready to poison the land beneath and generations of people to come…
- by Future Angst
|Hmmm… (8:46am EST Tue Apr 11 2006)
I have a few problems with this. #1 of these is the fact that viruses are known for their capability to mutate. What happens when this virus mutates away from the power producing beneficial thing that it is today and becomes the next AIDS? Ok, so that's a bit dramatic, but it illustrates the point well. It could just mutate enough so your battery won't work any more. The point is, we can't, I repeat CAN'T control how a virus will change.
Will it replace the up and coming fuel cell? Probably not. Putting aside the fuel cell's limitations (namely where and when you could use, or even carry, a fuel cell powered device based on current laws, which I believe will be overcome), I believe that the fuel cell is just better technology, with better longevity. This is conjecture on my part of course, as there is really very little info on the new “virus battery” available.
As far as the debate on whether or not a virus is alive or not, join the club. This debate has been going on in the scientific community for years. Viruses demonstrate SOME traits of life but not all, specifically in their inability to reproduce without the help of a host. And just so you know, viruses can have DNA or RNA, but not both. That is also part of what fuels the life/not life debate.
|Biological power source? (9:39am EST Tue Apr 11 2006)
I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet, you are a plague, and we are the cure. - by Agent Smith
|Confused too (11:00am EST Wed Apr 12 2006)
What a poorly written article. - by iamanut
|…. (11:43am EST Wed Apr 12 2006)
The internet was originally a defense funded project p
- by True story
|Biological Power Source-MR AGENT SMITH FOR BRAIN”S TRAIN”S OR AUTOMO> (1:17am EST Fri Apr 14 2006)
You obviously were a reptillian shit licker or something!
Come Now Look at the , preoject freedom network.com
You obviouly lost soul , perhaps your energyless source of soul inside of a mutant, You Are the Metally Disordered and may receive a psychiatric examination just to see you tick, Then Psychology to see what maked you tick..,
Even other planet's the real angel's left super~hero's and some looked like mutant form's!They are cure when in full knowlege not you!
|PATENT 5,159,703 (1:21am EST Fri Apr 14 2006)
Little boy - by BALDY ~Shorty,
|M.I.T. creates power from a virus (7:24am EST Tue May 02 2006)
Thats great–love the idea.
Now lets advance the research a little and have a battery for a laptop that gets its power from viruses.
Battery running low?????
Hey you never know..This sounds like a job for Norton or Mcaffee.
I can see the add now.
- by 2Funny
|2 cents worth (6:11am EST Thu Jun 29 2006)
RAW resource : radioactive material
End resource : nuclear power energy
RAW resource : virus