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2. Supercapacitive Micro-Bio-Photovoltaics

   Lin Liu, Maedeh Mohammadifar (January 2018, 18th International Conference on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2018))

   We created innovative supercapacitive micro-bio-photovoltaic systems (or micro-BPVs) with maximized bacterial photoelectrochemical activities in a wellcontrolled, tightly enclosed micro-chamber. The technique was based on a 3-D doublefunctional bio-anode concurrently exhibiting bio-electrocatalytic and charge-storage features so that it offers the high-energy harvesting function of BPVs and the highpower operation of an internal supercapacitor for charging and discharging. During the charging-discharging operation with 3 min of charging and 2 min of discharging, our device produced a maximum power density of 19.12 μW/cm2 and current density 212.09 μA/cm2, a performance significantly greater than that of the continuous discharging mode. This work creates a microscale hybrid energy-harvesting device that combines a biological photovoltaic device and a supercapacitor for self-sustainable field applications. 

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3. Bioinspired bio-voltage memristors

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   Fu, T; Liu, X; Gao, H; Ward, J. E; Liu, X; Yin, B; Wang, Z; Zhuo, Y; Walker, D; Yang, J. J; et al (April 2020, Nature communications)

   null (Ed.)

   Memristive devices are promising candidates to emulate biological computing. However, the typical switching voltages (0.2-2 V) in previously described devices are much higher than the amplitude in biological counterparts. Here we demonstrate a type of diffusive memristor, fabricated from the protein nanowires harvested from the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens, that functions at the biological voltages of 40-100 mV. Memristive function at biological voltages is possible because the protein nanowires catalyze metallization. Artificial neurons built from these memristors not only function at biological action potentials (e.g., 100 mV, 1 ms) but also exhibit temporal integration close to that in biological neurons. The potential of using the memristor to directly process biosensing signals is also demonstrated. 

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4. Magnetic bio-hybrid micro actuators

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2nr00152g  

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   Over the past two decades, there has been a growing body of work on wireless devices that can operate on the length scales of biological cells and even smaller. A class of these devices receiving increasing attention are referred to as bio-hybrid actuators: tools that integrate biological cells or subcellular parts with synthetic or inorganic components. These devices are commonly controlled through magnetic manipulation as magnetic fields and gradients can be generated with a high level of control. Recent work has demonstrated that magnetic bio-hybrid actuators can address common challenges in small scale fabrication, control, and localization. Additionally, it is becoming apparent that these magnetically driven bio-hybrid devices can display high efficiency and, in many cases, have the potential for self-repair and even self-replication. Combining these properties with magnetically driven forces and torques, which can be transmitted over significant distances, can be highly controlled, and are biologically safe, gives magnetic bio-hybrid actuators significant advantages over other classes of small scale actuators. In this review, we describe the theory and mechanisms required for magnetic actuation, classify bio-hybrid actuators by their diverse organic components, and discuss their current limitations. Insights into the future of coupling cells and cell-derived components with magnetic materials to fabricate multi-functional actuators are also provided. 

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5. Magnetic Bio-Hybrid Micro Actuators

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