The scientific community has never ceased in their relentless pursuit of getting the iconic video game Doom to run on unconventional platforms. From teletext to pregnancy tests to tractors, and even literal rat brains in a jar, researchers are continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible. However, the latest contender for the strangest and most ingenious way to play Doom takes it to a whole new level. Enter the world of using gut bacteria.
Lauren “Ren” Ramlan, a biotechnology PhD student researcher from MIT, has ingeniously created a 32×48 1-bit display made entirely of E. coli bacteria. Each E. coli cell serves as an individual pixel, and they can be lit up using a fluorescent protein to depict the gameplay of Doom. Although Ramlan herself acknowledges that the cells have extremely limited capabilities and running Doom on them would be a monumental task, she successfully rendered the gameplay on the cell display.
Before you get too excited about playing Doom using the lining of your intestines, it’s important to note that the performance is far from satisfactory. Illuminating and returning the cells to their starting state took a staggering 70 minutes and eight hours and 20 minutes, respectively, to display just one frame of the simplified black-and-white gameplay. This means that it would take approximately eight and a half hours to display each individual frame.
To put this into perspective, if the average playthrough of Doom takes about five hours and the original game runs at a capped maximum of 35 frames per second, using the gut bacteria cell display would take a mind-boggling 599 years to complete the entire game. While the concept of playing Doom with gut bacteria is intriguing, the performance is severely hampered by the time it takes for each frame to be displayed.
Although playing Doom using gut bacteria may not be practical, Ramlan’s research highlights the potential of using living cells as displays or components in other applications. Imagine a future where biological components are integrated with technology, enabling new forms of interactive experiences and functionality. From medical devices to environmental monitoring systems, the possibilities are vast and exciting.
Stick to the Conventional
While the idea of playing Doom using gut bacteria captures the imagination, it is clear that the current limitations make it more of a conceptual experiment than a feasible gaming option. Until technological advancements allow for faster and more efficient cell displays, it is advisable to stick to conventional platforms such as computers, consoles, and handheld devices for an optimal gaming experience.
The quest to play Doom on unconventional platforms continues unabated. The latest addition to this ongoing pursuit involves using gut bacteria as a display for the game. While the performance is far from ideal, it showcases the potential of integrating living cells into technology. As the boundaries of scientific exploration are pushed further, who knows what other bizarre and fascinating ways we may discover to play our favorite video games.
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