DNA Switch Bridges the Gap

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but a University of Portsmouth team has developed a DNA-based electronic switch that they're touting as the technology that could someday interface biological organisms and computers. The microchip-based switch incorporates a strand of DNA, a magnetic bead, and a biomotor. The electrical signals emitted by the device can be sent to a computer to, say, one day link a prosthetic to human muscles. More practical short-term applications include sensors for toxins.