Pac-Man, but with microbes
Ed Reschke/Getty Images
Videogames may seem like the last place for fruitful work in biotechnology,
but Stanford University bioengineer Ingmar Riedel-Kruse has reinvented 1980s
classics to enlist living microbes. His custom electronics and
augmented-reality software coax microorganisms to play key roles in Pac-Man, Brick
Breaker, and other reimagined 8-bit titles. Here’s a look at how
Riedel-Kruse’s rig works.
1) Micro-avatar
Riedel-Kruse uses single-celled protozoans called paramecia that typically
live in ponds. Changes in an electrical field can cause some species to alter
their steering (a behavior called galvanotaxis). The microbes selected for the
videogames swim toward electricity using cilia that cover their bodies.
2) Remote-control microbes
A shallow, thumbnail-size chamber with a glass bottom corrals the
paramecia. Electrodes lining the chamber’s edges are wired to a controller with
an omnidirectional button. Pushing it left, for example, induces an electric
field that guides the paramecia like a remote-controlled swarm toward the left
electrode.*
3) Live broadcast
Each paramecium appears as a speck to the naked eye, but a webcam paired
with a 5x-to-10x magnifying lens displays the microorganisms clearly on a
monitor. The camera is fixed above the chamber, with LEDs for illumination.
4) Virtual interface
Object-detecting software turns the physical setup into a game by locating
paramecia as they move around the chamber. Meanwhile, a video overlay enables
the organisms to interact with digital images. In the game PAC-mecium, microbes
“eat” pellets as they swim past them, and in soccer they “kick” the ball when
they come into contact with its cartoon image.
Time: 60 hours
Cost: $60
* Hobbyist Geva Patz made his own version of Riedel-Kruse’s gaming console
with laser-cut acrylic, pencil lead, and copper tape. It uses an
electroencephalogram headset for a controller, allowing players to direct
microbes with their thoughts.
This article originally appeared in the June 2014 issue of Popular Science.
Source : http://www.popsci.com/article/gadgets/gaming-system-starring-microbes?dom=PSC&loc=recent&lnk=6&con=a-gaming-system-starring-microbes
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