Philips Bio-light concept (photos)

In the future, bacteria might be used to provide light in your home. Check out photos of Philips' Bio-light concept.

Bonnie Cha

Nov. 28, 2011 5:50 p.m. PT

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Philips

Philips Bio-light

As part of its Microbial Home Project, Dutch electronics company Philips designed a Bio-light concept that uses bioluminescent bacteria to produce light.

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Philips

Light source or art piece?

The system uses bioluminescent bacteria that feed on methane and composted material to produce a soft green light. The bacteria is housed in a wall of hand-blown glass cells and connected to a food source at the base through thin silicon tubes.

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Philips

Bio-digester

The bacteria's food source would come in the form of methane gas converted from bathroom waste solids and vegetable trimmings using Philips' bio-digester kitchen island.

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Philips

Ambient light

The light produced by the bacteria isn't particularly bright, so it would be used more as an ambient light source or as a way to power nighttime road markings, signs in low-light environments, and so forth.

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Philips

Microbial Home

Philips has designed an entire Microbial Home that includes not only the Bio-light and bio-digester, but an urban beehive and system for breaking down plastic waste.