Implanted biofuel cell produces electricity from a bug

Science fiction’s insect cyborgs may not be far off. Researchers have shown that an insect's internal chemicals can be converted to electricity, potentially giving scientists the ability to control the bug or provide power for implanted sensors or recording devices. "It is virtually impossible to start from scratch and make something that works like an insect," said Daniel Scherson, professor at Case Western Reserve and senior author of the study. "Using an insect is...easier," Scherson said. "For that, you need electrical energy to power sensors or to excite the neurons to make the insect do as you want, by generating enough power out of the insect itself." The researchers developed an implantable biofuel cell which used enzymes to generate usable power from chemical processes that are part of normal cockroach feeding. The cockroaches suffered no long-term damage from having the biofuel cells implanted, opening up a range of possibilities for future testing.