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Silk Protein Photonics

Posted by timothy on from the need-more-spiders dept.

Researchers in the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University have used a straightforward, water based extraction method to make pure, ultra-transparent silk films. These films can be patterned with photonic devices, like diffraction gratings and infused with proteins and enzymes allowing biochemically active, cheap, printable optics to be fabricated. Applications to implantable optical sensors are almost limitless. (Disclaimer: I am part of this research group.)

26 comments

  1. Applications by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Funny

    After reading the article, I come to the conclusion that this would be perfect for edible underwear.

    Research team -- look into this.

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    1. Re:Applications by witte · · Score: 1

      Also, since this is Tufts University, can it be used to log MAC and IP addresses ?
      </cheap shot>

    2. Re:Applications by MyLongNickName · · Score: 1

      Wow. I read the article and still had time for first post. If this were Saturday, I would think everyone else was getting ready for a hot date.

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    3. Re:Applications by UID30 · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...getting ready for a hot date.

      You know this is slashdot, don't you?

      --
      "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte
    4. Re:Applications by knarfling · · Score: 1

      That is because the article and the summary are hard to match up. The summary talks about low cost, printable optics on silk, but does not give much detail of some of the applications. So I went to the article to get a better idea, and read about "edible optics."

      At first glance they seem to be talking about two different things. I do not know about you, but I am not in the habit of eating silk on a regular basis. And silk with sensors on it? How would I get the info from the sensors after eating it? If it is implantable, does part of it stick out so I can see the results? Or is there some sort of tricorder that can read the info from the sensors inside me?

      After reading a bit more, it seems like they could be talking about the same thing, but the sample applications still do not fit the summary.

      My only conclusion is that the concept is way over my head, not to mention the applications. Time to turn in the geek card.

      --
      Great civilizations have lived and died on false theories. Don't mess up mine with a few facts.
    5. Re:Applications by Joe+Snipe · · Score: 1

      Research team -- look into this.

      slashdot research team ASSEMBLE!

      this is going to make me laugh all day.

      --
      Sometimes, life itself is sarcasm...
    6. Re:Applications by ProfessionalCookie · · Score: 1

      Yeah, yeah, we know. But there's lots of ways to heat up a date...even for nerds.

    7. Re:Applications by ProfessionalCookie · · Score: 1

      Yeah, yeah, we know. But there's lots of ways to heat up a date...even for nerds.

  2. Translation Available? by UID30 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is there a nerd-to-geek translation available for this article? How many Wattabytes can that protien infused diffusion grate optical sensor hold? ... and more importantly, does it run Linux? ... beowulf cluster?

    --
    "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte
    1. Re:Translation Available? by Zosden · · Score: 0

      You forgot about in soviet Russia Linux runs silk proteins.

    2. Re:Translation Available? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Is there a nerd-to-geek translation available for this article? How many Wattabytes can that protien infused diffusion grate optical sensor hold? ... and more importantly, does it run Linux? ... beowulf cluster?

      Wrong Wrong Wrong!!! It's the WEB 3.0!!!!

    3. Re:Translation Available? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Years ago I read about how polar-bear hair qualified as optical fibers. Looks like other proteins can do it, too.

  3. Biochemical breakdown by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

    So if it is edible, where in my system do these break down? Am I to expect my digestive bacteria to be holding psychedelic rave parties in my intestines?

    --
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    1. Re:Biochemical breakdown by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 1

      >Am I to expect my digestive bacteria to be holding psychedelic rave parties in my intestines?

      Yes, they already are. Now with the correct wireless interface to the optical sensors, you can have live, streaming video of the interior of your GI tract on your website. Follow the exciting path of Thursday's Tequila shooters and tacos with extra Habanero salsa.

      --
      Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
    2. Re:Biochemical breakdown by JustOK · · Score: 4, Funny

      think there's a site that shows the interface to your GI tract...don't want to mention the name, its been posted here before.

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      rewriting history since 2109
    3. Re:Biochemical breakdown by mikiN · · Score: 1

      Am I to expect my digestive bacteria to be holding psychedelic rave parties in my intestines?

      ROTFLMAO!

      Queue video of grooving intestinal bacteria getting their stomp on. "Wow, this tastes like Infected Mushroom, yummy!" "Nice visuals by the way, must be the Growling Mad Scientists of Tufts University."

      --
      The Hacker's Guide To The Kernel: Don't panic()!
  4. Enzyme Stabilization by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was interested in the stabilization effect this has on the enzymes doped onto the silk substrate. According to TFA, they wind up with a room-temperature self life of a year or so compared to hours otherwise. This could make all kinds of tests and indicators way cheaper. how about E. coli sensitive wrappers for meat products?

    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
  5. FTA by dk90406 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I RTFA, and was a little surprised. Obviously this was a press release (and shown as such), but my thoughts were:
    • They have discovered something important, but failed to communicate it properly
    • They may have something - but it is highly speculative
    • If they have something - why chose chose such a bad as bad food? No explanation is presented. Power Source? Needed at all? Processor? etc..
    • There might some more interesting applications for this stuff, think of translucent cloth.

    I saw you guys are all making fun, but story shows how academia struggles to communicate to the public.
    Unfurtunatly /. is not the typical public.

    1. Re:FTA by Entropy98 · · Score: 1

      Well what is it then?
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      Project Powder Wiki

    2. Re:FTA by UID30 · · Score: 1

      Unfurtunatly /. is not the typical public.

      *boggle*
      s/Unfurtunatly/Fortunately/

      --
      "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte
    3. Re:FTA by Americano · · Score: 1

      They have discovered something important, but failed to communicate it properly.

      How have they failed to communicate it properly? They were able to embed biologically active molecules in optics made of silk protein. They found that the silk protein is able to be processed using water (rather than harsh chemicals) at room temperature (rather than at very high or low temperatures). What this means is, the conditions required for production of these silk optics will not destroy the biologically active molecules that have been embedded into the structure. Something that, as outlined in the article, has been difficult to do with other devices which require far more chemical processing.

      If they have something - why chose chose such a bad as bad food? No explanation is presented. Power Source? Needed at all? Processor? etc.

      They chose "bad food," I would guess probably as a very clear way of highlighting the possible benefits of this research to the general public here in the US, who has been subjected to stories of "don't eat those tomatoes! no it's the peppers! no it's the tomatoes! no it's the peppers!" for about 2 months now due to an outbreak of foodborne illness that proved exceedingly difficult to track to its source. Wouldn't it be nice, they're saying, if a device in your bag of tomatoes could warn you that there was some sort of contamination before you eat them?

      There might some more interesting applications for this stuff, think of translucent cloth.

      Yes, because when I read about a novel method for creating silk films that could incorporate biologically active elements, the first thing I think is, "Man think of what the strippers could do with this!"

  6. License the tech to Victoria's Secret. by EWAdams · · Score: 1

    "Ultra-transparent silk films"? It's a natural. I don't see what all this nerdy science stuff has to do with see-through panties, though.

    --
    I piss off bigots.
  7. Spinach! bah by StormShaman · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Spinach! Sure, the most recent E. Coli scare was with spinach, but I'd like to see this on fish, so I could know what fish to buy for sashimi.

  8. transparent silk? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I call BS. The emperor has no clothes... ;^)

  9. The need for geek speed (caffiene) by Shamenaught · · Score: 1

    Well, if this is edible, then the natural way to combine it with geeks is to infuse it with caffeine. I can see the advert now. Lan party going on too long? Need that extra hit of caffiene? Out of energy drinks, and even caffeinated mints? Now, you can get that kick you need, by eating your own shirt! Some geeks have needed biochemically active clothing for a while though. Not for eating, but to tell them when they're 'done' and it's time to change. I doubt it would sell as well, but if you figured-out some way to hook it up to a power source and make it wash itself: You've got a best-seller.

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