  This work shows experimentally how electrical energy can be harvested
directly from cell membrane potential and used to power a wireless
communication. The experiment is performed by exploiting the membrane potential
of Xenopus oocytes taken from female frogs. Electrical potential energy of the
membrane is transferred to a capacitor connected to the cell via a proper
electrical circuit. Once the capacitor has reached the planned amount of
energy, the circuit is disconnected from the cell and the stored energy is used
to power a radio frequency communication that carries bio-sensed information to
a distanced receiving circuit. Our result shows that electrical energy can be
harvested directly from biological cells and used for a number of purposes,
including wireless communication of sensed biological quantities to a remote
receiving hub.
