This is an ongoing project by Julian Chollet fuelled from a deep fascination with microbes and a hacker style approach to technology. The integration of multiple scientific disciplines (microbiology, chemistry, electronics, etc.) is a great starting point for the PIFcamp style of open collaboration and it is not clear at all what will come out of it.
What is a microbial fuel cell?
Microbial fuel cells convert the chemical energy derived from bacterial metabolism into electrical energy that can be measured and used to power low-voltage devices. Electrogenic (electricity generating) bacteria can be found in almost all terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, where they perform key functions in organic matter degradation, nutrient cycling and biofilm formation.