Teresa van Dongen Develops Sustainable Light Source from Living Organisms
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With the help of researchers from Ghent University’s Bioscience Engineering faculty, the Dutch designer Teresa van Dongen has created a lamp that doesn’t require a plug or a battery — instead, it’s powered by bacteria. The project “Electric LifTeresa van Dongen Develops Sustainable Light Source from Living Organisms
With the help of researchers from Ghent University’s Bioscience Engineering faculty, the Dutch designer Teresa van Dongen has created a lamp that doesn’t require a plug or a battery — instead, it’s powered by bacteria. The project “Electric Life” — powered by microorganisms that excrete electrons — takes the form of a robot-like “living light.” The installation is on view at Paris’ Centre Pompidou through April 15, 2019, before traveling to New York’s Cooper Hewitt Museum and the Cube Design Museum in Kerkrade. The Amsterdam-based designer is known for her design innovations based on alternative and natural energy sources, drawing inspiration from nature and science. For her current project, van Dongen wanted to develop a more eco-friendly alternative to current energy and light sources that could be used in the domestic environment. With help of Ghent University researchers, Korneel Rabaey, Jan Arends, and Kristof Verbeeck, van Dongen found electrochemically active “geobacters” in the muddy soil of rivers and lakes, which emit small electrical currents in their metabolism as a waste product. “Comparable to humans breathing out CO2, they need to constantly get rid of these, potentially useful electrons,” explained van Dongen. Once she discovered this valuable quality of the bacteria, she set out to harness the energy by creating an environment in which the organisms can thrive. With the help of her collaborators from Ghent, van Dongen created what she terms as a “bacteria battery,” comprising numerous kinds of bacteria that together form a strong ecosystem. Each battery features a specially engineered electrode that harvests the electrons excreted by the bacteria, which are then guided through an electrical circuit that is used to generate electricity. This system can power three lights per battery. According to the designer’s website, to emit light the bacteria need to be fed regularly: a shot of tap water mixed with some acetate or vinegar, once every week. The food can simply be added to the bacterial fluid inside the battery. van Dongen believes that this care-taking process would establish a closer relationship between the light installation and its owner. Teresa van Dongen was born in April 1988 and holds a degree in biology, alongside a Cum Laude graduate degree from the Design Academy Eindhoven. She combines her knowledge in science and design to come up with sustainable design solutions based on elements of science and nature. In October 2015, during the Dutch Design Week, van Dongen was the proud winner of a Dutch Design Award in the category of Young Designer. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more