Powering a Car with Evaporation

Jun-16-15 Drawing on bacterial processes and evaporation, researchers have a created a mechanism able to illuminate an LED and even propel a tiny car.

The evaporation-powered technology is built on the discovery that common soil bacteria spores will swell and shrink in humid or dry air—creating a force that can be used to move other objects. To create the hygroscopy driven artificial muscles (HYDRAs), the team attached a row of the spores to a long piece of tape. When the spores absorb water and expand, the tape will stretch, and as they dry the tape will contract. This push/pull motion can be used to power tiny devices, such as turning a rotor or lifting a very light pole.

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[THEGUARDIAN.COM]
[POPSCI.COM]

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