Microbial fuel cell technology uses the tiniest organisms on the planet--bacteria--as a viable option to make electricity. By linking bacterial metabolism directly with electricity production, the MFC eliminates the extra steps necessary in other fuel cell technologies. --by Joe Caspermeyer

Researchers from ASU and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center are teaming up to create the next generation of powered prosthetic devices based on lightweight, energy-storing springs. --by Christine Lambrakis

Temperature-sensitive polymer gels may be the solution to a lot of tricky medical problems. By injecting the gels directly into the blood vessels, doctors can treat dangerous aneurysms or deliver chemotheraphy drugs with fewer side effects. --by Melissa Crytzer Fry

Imagine a brain implant smart enough to maneuver around inside a person’s skull. On its own, the device locates the target area to do its work. The task might involve deep brain stimulation therapy for a patient with Parkinson’s disease. Or it might include powering the robotic arm of a person who has lost limb control. These kinds of moveable brain implants are not science fiction. They are being developed by scientists in ASU's Neural Microsystems Laboratory. --by Melissa Crytzer-Fry