The questions were thrown at me by our dear Brian Lam with a disclaimer of "I may have been under narcotic substances when I came up with this idea." But, despite that disclaimer, he's onto something. After all, we've looked at concept models of gadgets intended to be powered in that precise manner, by converting blood glucose into electrical current. There's also been some success in recent bio-battery research with yeast fuel cells. So, why aren't we sating both gadget lust and hunger in the same bite yet?

It turns out that the bio-batteries closest to reality at this time, the yeast cell ones, have a major problem with waste products. That waste is created as those particular batteries involve microbial yeast-based fuel cells that steal "some of the electrons produced when the yeast metabolizes glucose" in order to create a small current. While the entire process works just fine, the yeast cells are at risk unless the waste products are removed. We can't exactly let the waste be dumped into the blood stream, so until there's a some kind of cleaning process, the batteries are trouble as they either they die off or poison your bloodstream while trying to survive.

That trouble aside though, the research is quite encouraging and a huge first step. It may be many years until we can use bio-batteries, but I'll wait patiently with some Häagen-Dazs until the day that fat bottomed girls really make the rockin' world go 'round. [New Scientist]

Photo by Bare Conductive

It's thin. There's no viscosity at all. And it tastes like Hawaiian punch, spiked with caffeine, Twilight fangirl tears and mascara. It would be really gross at body temperature.

Twenty minutes after imbibing, my fuzzy brain can focus again. I start wondering why they don't use real vampire blood, 'cause on True Blood it's like meth + steroids + ecstasy, which would make it an even better mixer for Halloween parties, amiright? It has a lot of iron in it, which I actually need even less than meth.

An hour later, I definitely have the jitters. I think it's because I had a macchiato like an hour before I drank the the blood. Want more blood to calm nerves. I resist, but get really thirsty and drink a liter of water.

Two hours later, have to pee really bad. There's no crash, but the boost is definitely gone, two hours short of their 4-hour claim. Decide to take a nap because it's too bright outside, now that it's stopped raining for a week straight in New York. [Harcos]

Yes, here comes the lameness in pretty much the funkiest way of saying that something will give you a four hour energy boost I've seen in a while:

Blood Energy Potion is packed with iron, protein and electrolytes, providing up to four hours of energy. This blood drink features the same color, consistency and tactile experience of real blood, quelling those otherworldly cravings that polite mortal society frowns upon. It is important to understand that Blood Energy Potion is not a treatment for Vampirism, but regular use may help control certain symptoms of Bloodlust, including:

• Unquenchable thirst
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Inability to control behavior
• Insomnia
• Brutal, violent attacks
• Homicide

Odd choice of advertising aside, his creepy goop is now available for $3.99 a shot (less than the six buckeroos we previously thought) and I, for one, am gonna try it out just to see if it'll quell those homicidal urges. [Living With Bloodlust]

Lameness/creepiness aside, this is actually slightly cooler than drinking Dungeons & Dragons.

Six bucks apiece and starts shipping in January. [Urban Collector via Nerd Approved via Neatorama]

The first one is the Snow Leopard that comes in the box and Apple's site. The second one, which shows clear traces of blood around his mouth, is the one that ships inside Mac OS X Snow Leopard, as a desktop background. It seems that our Windows 7 killing Snow Leopard and eating it report was greatly exaggerated.

It was totally wrong in fact. It is Snow Leopard who killed Windows 7. And all its development team. A two zoo guides. And six babies and their moms. BAD CAT!

This is because, in the future, scientists seem to think that piezoelectric nanowires could find a nice home inside our blood vessels. There, they'd use the energy created by blood flow to power our gadgets, pacemakers, or any number of other people-powered devices future inventors can think up. That sounds great in theory, but I assume that, like with most things I put in my body today that sound great and feel good, it will probably cause cancer or something.

Regardless, the scientists want to let us know there are no practical or commercial uses planned for these zinc oxide nanowires. Not for a long while anyway. This means you can stop digging around for that vein now. Oh, that's for the heroin? Nevermind then. [Live Science via Engadget]

Blood analysis usually requires either large and expensive equipment or a trained technician to manually examine the material. Both are out of reach for many remote areas, especially in parts of Africa where HIV and malaria are rampant. UCLA researcher Dr. Aydogan Ozcan developed software that allows blood samples to be analyzed with the use of inexpensive, off-the-shelf camera sensors and a filtered light source. The key is the software's ability to analyze thousands of blood cells at once, providing an accurate result within minutes.

The photo above shows a Sony-Ericsson phone modded for this type of use. That bulge on the back is the filtered light source. It's great to see cool mods done for great social welfare rather than our gadgety amusement every once in awhile. [Wired]

The $226 Blood Bucket Lamp (our name) celebrates the holidays with flowing crimson that's in the perpetual state of just almost spilling all over your floor. Sure, you could pretend that it's supposed to be paint—there's a bucket and everything. But when you wake every night in a cold sweat, your face glowing red from the nightlight...well, we told you so. (After all, there's good reason we don't watch those gross iPod nano commercials after ten.) [Blood Bucket Lamp via Rinkya and Crunchgear]

The new system is being developed from a technology created at Johns Hopkins called Nanex. It uses a nano-fiber structure that replicates bone marrow, which is where red cells are manufactured. While their objective is to have a machine that could be moved to any camp and produce RBC units ready to be infused in wounded soldiers, and thus avoiding transportation and storage of blood, this research will obviously have important implications for everyone. Until then, maybe you can do a good action and donate some of your blood today. Or at least, buy a vampire a drink. [Cnet]

OK. I guess zombies don't do the pool thing (see what I did there? see? OK. Never mind. I'll get me coat.) [Daily Mail]

There's something creepily fascinating about this pen: maybe its the jaunty feather attached at the end, or those plastic mechanics squeezing blood out of the syringe onto the nib. Maybe it's the same fascination you get when driving past a car crash. Either way, if you're in Spain and want to see it, it's showing this week from the 16th to 18th in the Bread and Butter, Untitled Exhibition in Barcelona. [The KDU]

Also appropriate for cuddy killer robots, Gloomy Bear mimobots and DIY blood-testing kits. $6 for two 20 x 30 sheets. – Matt Buchanan

Product Page [via Nerd Approved]

Actually, Oxycyte is a derivative of non-hemoglobin synthetics that have been around for some time. It's currently being tested as a substitute for donated blood during emergency surgeries where brain injury from a lack of oxygen is common. – Mark Wilson

Better than Blood? [via randomgoodstuff]

The numbers are only more staggering as you realize that the blood of weekend Gizmodo writers, running at a constant 1:1 blood to alcohol ratio, is worth even less. Does that mean we can sell our blood at wholesale? Dealzmodo supplemental! – Mark Wilson

Designed for portability, the machine can analyze a few drops of blood in two minutes. It identifies blood components including red and white blood cells and oxygen. Slurp!

Press Release [NSBRI via MedGadget]