Lauren Ren Ramlan, a researcher and PhD student in the field of biotechnology at MIT, has developed a 1-bit, 2×48 pixel display using E.coli cells as pixel substitutes. These cells have been engineered to be light-responsive using optogenetic proteins. The ultimate goal is to use this display technology to showcase the iconic game, Doom, on a wall of living cells.
However, playing Doom with this version is no easy feat. The limitations of E.coli cells pose a challenge, as each cell requires 70 minutes to turn on and 8 hours and 20 minutes to reset back to its initial state. This means that this version of Doom can only achieve approximately 1 frame every 8 hours.
In comparison, a regular version of Doom can be completed in about 5 hours. However, the bacterial version of Doom might take a staggering 599 years to finish.
Interestingly, in the past, the first installment of Doom has been ported onto various devices, including calculators, printers, digital cameras, and even digital pregnancy tests.
TLDR: Lauren Ren Ramlan, a researcher at MIT, has developed a unique pixel display using E.coli cells. These cells are controlled using optogenetic proteins to showcase the game Doom. However, playing the game is challenging due to the time it takes for the cells to respond. A regular version of Doom can be completed in 5 hours, but the bacterial version might take 599 years. Fun fact: Doom has been ported to calculators, printers, digital cameras, and pregnancy tests in the past.
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