Hi:

 

Has anyone read news similar to this?: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/jul/24/bacteria-computer

 

As a lover of bacteria, I'd like a PC whose circuits are made of them.

 

When can I expect such a PC to enter the commercial market -- if it ever does?

 

Is it practical to make an OPL3 FM synthesizer chip out of bioengineered bacteria? OPL3 is my favorite MIDI synthesizer.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Green Xenon

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the bacteria computers would be for specific purposes, and not used for their speed. I don't think it will be something useful for the public, merely for solving complicated algorithms quickly in puzzels such as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancake_sorting. It would be nice to see bacteria PCs which would be ecofriendly on the electrical side of things but would still need to be fed energy(sugar?), warmth, (and water?). But I'm not sure it will be practical, or necessary.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the bacteria computers would be for specific purposes, and not used for their speed. I don't think it will be something useful for the public, merely for solving complicated algorithms quickly in puzzels such as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancake_sorting. It would be nice to see bacteria PCs which would be ecofriendly on the electrical side of things but would still need to be fed energy(sugar?), warmth, (and water?). But I'm not sure it will be practical, or necessary.

 

 

Call me crazy but I believe in using bio-engineered bacteria for almost any purpose in mind -- from cleaning oil spills, to treating atherosclerosis, to telecommunications.

 

After I graduate from college I plan to do lab research in bacteriology. I'm hoping to bio-engineer the smallest type of bacterium that fits all of the following categories:

 

1. Facilitative Aerobic [can use oxygen but does not need it]

2. Not gram-negative

3. Free of endotoxins [such as LPS] and exotoxins [such as botulinum]

4. Non-pathogenic

5. Non-allergenic

 

Instead of wasting electric power for computations, why not take a more green approach by using a biofilm-based chip made of cells of the aforementioned type of bacteria?

 

This chip would contain bacterial cells that are connected to each other to made a solid colony.

I think you are thinking of DNA computers .If so they long ways off.

 

But they are working on 3D transistors to try to keep up with Moore's law .