Turn cockroaches into fuel cells

Case Western Reserve University experts (USA) have exploited the metabolic system in cockroaches to convert into electric current.

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An interesting point in the study led by experts Michelle Rasmussen and Daniel Scherson is that they take advantage of the metabolic process of cockroaches to produce electricity, according to the Columbus Dispatch website.

When cockroaches eat, it produces a type of sugar called trehalose . Then, haemolymph, an enzyme group in the blood of cockroaches, is responsible for dissolving trehalose sugar.

Picture 1 of Turn cockroaches into fuel cells
Turn cockroaches into fuel cells

It takes several more steps to complete the transformation of sugar into food, and at the last step, the electron will be produced. When attaching wires to cockroaches, experts can exploit electrons to convert them into electric currents.

Although the capacity is not high, Case Western Reserve University research plays a role in proving the concept that it is possible to use cockroach body to power small devices, such as sensors and microphones in places where Other inaccessible energy sources.

In the event that someone is afraid to act on the cockroach, it may be uncomfortable, this is not a problem because the cockroach has no blood vessels. They have open circulatory systems.

Trehalose is present in the circulatory system of many insects, and some species have higher sugar content than cockroaches.

Earlier, a University of Michigan team used piezoelectric materials to harness wing-beating motion when flying in beetles.