Gea
Gea is a proposed bacteria-powered cell phone charger. Geobacter Sulfurreducens, incubated in a hub, are periodically transferred to a device equipped with a bio-battery, harnessing organic energy and converting it into electricity through a Microbial Fuel Cell.
Team: Valentina Ferro, Manuela De Pombo, Susana Izasa, Alberto Toro, Erick González. Renders by José David Forero.
Gea seeks to lessen the impact of the lithium industry on globally marginalized communities.
The project was developed as a theoretical product with the intention of applying to the Bio Design Challenge. Based on the fundamental workings of an MFC and Geobacter sulfurreducens, we proposed a new phone and charger designed to incubate the bacteria and harness energy together.
The system is supported by a service that farms and delivers the bacteria.
I. BACTERIA
GEA comes with the first batch of Geobacter sulfurreducensready to grow and multiply.
III. FUMARATE AND ACETATE
Fundamental gases that are needed for bacteria grown and efficiency.
Substrates, fumarate and Acetate are electron acceptor and donor respectively. Both stored in individual pods are injected into the bacteria compartment or MFCs for them to grow or produce energy.
V. INTERCHANGEABLE FOOD POD
The interchangeable food pod will maintain the bacteria alive, by consuming this chemical substance the bacteria will produce the usable energy that is needed for the cellphone battery.
VII. MFC
The MFC within the box is used to power the HQ. It is completely self-sufficient.
II. GROWTH MEDIUM
Allows the bacteria to grow and multiply.
An anaerobic mixture of chemical compounds, when combined with substrates, create an ideal space for the Bacteria to multiply.
The HQ automatically injects growth medium into the bacteria compartment.
IV. INFLATABLE CUSHION
Creates pressure in the bacteria compartment to fill the battery with new bacteria. By grabbing air from its surroundings inflating and increasing in size. The pressure pushes the bacteria out of the HQ and into the cell phone battery.
VI. WASTE
Bacterias and the MFC mechanism produce waste, thats carefully stored in the bottom of the HQ.
A removable compartment that is periodically emptied by the user.
