Nanobatteries Power Artificial Eyes

Roland Piquepaille writes "A new U.S. research center, the National Center for Design of Biomimetic Nanoconductors, has been opened to promote new ideas in the field of nanomedicine. For example, a team of researchers at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is developing a nano-size battery to be implanted in the eye to power artificial retina. But this center will also design and build 'nanomedical devices based on natural and synthetic ion transporters -- proteins that control ion motion across the membranes of every living cell.'"

Comments

best I can figure...

[tempest69]

It looks like they arent making a batery in the traditional sense. Theyre using/building an ion channel, (the picture is blurry but it looks about right). So there isnt battery acid to deal with, and it isnt really a battery. That being said, the body can treat it like a battery because it makes ion gradients that can be tapped anyway.

short and simple answer is that the battery should be nearly harmless. If it breaks down it might be a bit of a drag on the local metabolism. And assuming that the protien isnt some sort of prion precursor (unlikely for a membrane protien) it should be safe.

Storm

This isn't a story. This is PR for a new lab

[CFD339]

1. They haven't developed the eyes any further than otherwise reported some time ago.
2. The batteries don't exist yet, really.
3. The batteries that don't yet exist are being designed for artificial eyes that don't yet exist.

I'm all for this technology to mature -- I have two blind relatives and it seems likely that others in my family will also have problems as they age. The kinds of work they're doing should help them if it matures. This article, however, doesn't actually show much advancement other than a new lab is working on a new thing, that could power a new device -- when they all get it figured out.

I wish /. wasn't so open to posts like that.