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. 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."

View: Full Article | Source: smh.com.au

I'm a little confused on the point of this. I read over the article a couple of times and the point evades me. All I can think of is the movie "Powder".

Just one step closer to being enslaved by machines. just kidding. Seriously, I'm happy to see that new methods of obtaining energy are being explored, and this would be a good way to power small things like say, pacemakers or such.

That is one of the many uses for which the device is being developed for.

Think of the power they could generate if they hooked this thing up to the hot dog eating champ... He's Japanese!

"Hey Norm! If you were a hot dog, and you were starving, would you eat yourself?"

That would certianly put new meaning to the hymm "There's power in the blood" - I will never sing that song the same again

ist that what the machines use humans for.....batteries