Are Spiders the Key to Biodegradable Computer Chips?

Posted by in Technology


Spiders? We’re all scared of them and it’s no wonder - they are creepy and crawly and some of them can do a lot of damage with a single bite. 


But according to physicist Nolwenn Huby of the Institut de Physique de Rennes in France, they could hold the key to creating biodegradable computer chips.


It’s well known that spiders weave intricate webs, but did you know that their silk can be stronger than steel and tougher than even Kevlar? Spider silk is almost a super-material, but there aren’t many uses for it. Not only is the silk strong, but it’s extremely flexible and research is proving that it also has properties that make it uniquely suited for use in electronic devices.


The silk allows light to travel through it just as quickly as a fiber optic cable. In addition, it’s so incredibly thin and organic that it will eventually biodegrade. These properties gave Huby the inspiration to investigate further in order to develop technical applications.


In their research, Huby's team built an integrated chip using spider silk. They were able to successfully send a laser beam through the fiber and found the results to be similar to what they would see with glass fiber optic cables, although it did have a bit more loss than the glass. This led Huby and her team to believe that, with additional research into a coating or some further development, spider silk could actually have better transmission capabilities than any material currently in use.  Huby and her team are planning to announce their findings at the annual Frontiers in Optics conference being held this month in Rochester, N.Y.

 

Huby isn’t the only one studying the possible uses of biological fibers. A biomedical engineer at Tufts University also plans to speak about the uses of silk at the conference. Though his research uses silkworm fibers instead of spider silk, the research is very similar. The research probes into ways that silk could be used in medical procedures as well as in technology.

 

One of the primary benefits of using silk in a medical setting is that, because of the unique nature of the fiber, it creates virtually no reaction in the human body, making it perfect for use as bandages or even implantation.


Researchers are already beginning to imagine all of the possible uses for this new technology. For example, in the future, a patient may be given a silk bandage that has a built-in computer chip to monitor their recovery. Because there wouldn’t be any reaction, and the computer chip could be biodegradable, it would be a viable and effective medical technique.


One of the most promising things about this research is that it would certainly help lessen the environmental impact of technology. Currently, computers and mobile devices are being adopted by more and more people. In fact, many people own more than one of these devices and, because technology rapidly becomes outdated, disposal of these things can be a challenge. By using an organic material like spider silk, these devices could be built to biodegrade after a few years.


The research is exciting and I’m sure that in the future we will see many applications that had their beginnings with these findings. Of course, the challenge isn’t just to build biodegradable computer chips. In order to make any significant impact on e-waste, researchers will have to find ways to create disposable circuits, screens, batteries and so on.


It might not be the answer just yet, but at least we’re headed in the right direction.


Image Source: MorgueFile

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  • Melissa Kennedy
    Melissa Kennedy
    Thanks for the great comments. It's so amazing to see that other people are as fascinated by this technology as I am. I look forward to seeing how it will develop, and I'll let you know when they make their next breakthrough!
  • Andrew W
    Andrew W
    Spider silk would be great for many things due to its superstrength.  Would love to see it used in future for a wide range of products and devices.  
  • David G
    David G
    I believe that we can learn different methods from the spiders. like how they design their webs. Isn't this a form of what we do for our networking systems at times. Why not learn more about the spiders web material to advance ourselves.
  • gerald d
    gerald d
    Has the doctor ever considered using the material which encases a chloroplast as the shielding material for the spider silk? the material is stable, allows light to enter on one side but does not allow it to leave and it is bio-degradable.In addition, it has electrochemical conductive properties which would allow for the conservation of energy released during an axial spike.regardsGerald D
  •  George W
    George W
    Sounds interesting.  What about cost, you would need a lot of spiders to create the chips, how long would it take.You might need to have a farm that raises spiders, and what about storage.As I said at first interesting
  • Richard G
    Richard G
    Excellent article; exciting concept. -- Rick
  • Tom N
    Tom N
    There are indeed many uses for silk that have interested inventors for more than a decade. There were even a herd of goats developed that produced the silk in their milk so large scale harvesting could be performed. The challenge is in developing the spinning technique to consistently and reliably produce long threads. The innovator that can duplicate this feat of nature will have unlocked the value in this innovative material.
  • Andrew R
    Andrew R
    This research seems amazing, I hope more comes of it.
  • Raymond d
    Raymond d
    interesting
  • Aaron P
    Aaron P
         I am extremely intrigued by this article and I would like to follow its development from now on. My main interest is in mechanical engineering and aerospace  but this biological end is fascinating.

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