Look out. A half-organic, half-synthetic computer chip has been bred at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The bioluminescent bioreporter integrated circuit, which researchers Mike Simpson (pictured) and Gary Sayler call Critters on a Chip, is designed to detect pollutants, explosives, and chemicals in soil and water.
Here's how it works: The outer layer of the silicon chip contains bacteria suspended in a polymer substrate. These genetically engineered critters glow when exposed to certain pollutants or chemicals. The integrated circuit senses photons, converts them into electrical voltages, and transmits that information to environmental investigators.
So far, experiments with the prototype chip have gone swimmingly. Sayler and Simpson have encountered only one major problem: the bacteria die within a few days. While many potential apps won't require extended life spans, the scientists have devised a solution. They plan to build a reservoir of water and nutrients that will be pumped onto the bacteria - resulting in a true microcosm on a microchip.
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Critters on a Chip
