Here in Part 2 we continue looking at the radical features of Philips' Microbial Home Probe, a conceptual ecosystem for living that incorporates, as we saw in Part 1, some unusual ideas in sustainable design.
The MHP's Bio-Light system is not for the squeamish, as it uses bacteria to generate illumination. A living "microbial community" with bioluminescent properties is kept alive in hand-blown glass cells contained within a steel matrix. While it is not a practical answer for task lighting or conventional household illumination—the light is wan and certainly doesn't turn "on" right away—it's an interesting first step to take towards lighting that runs completely independently of an electricity grid or batteries.
