Sony demonstrated a prototype of a bio-battery powered by paper at the Eco-Products exhibition in Tokyo last week.

As reported by BBC News, children were invited to drop small scraps of paper and cardboard into a liquid made up of water and enzymes and then shake it. A small fan connected to the contraption starts spinning a few minutes later, powered by the electricity generated by turning the shredded paper into sugar--which is subsequently used as fuel to generate a small electrical current.

The promise here is that, unlike a modern battery that utilizes toxic and other harsh chemicals in their manufacturing and recycling, Sony's invention borrows an idea from nature. The use of enzymes is similar to how termites digest wood and convert it into energy, and points to the possibility of eventually building an environmentally friendly battery in the future.

For now, the concept remains a mere prototype, given that the power output falls short of that from commercially sold batteries.

For more:
- check out this article at BBC News

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