Fujitsu's 'Corn' PC

LAS VEGAS--This PC is made out of corn. And no, you cannot eat it.

It's actually the third generation of the Biblo PC from Fujitsu, which showed off the laptop at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The inside is a normal PC, but the outside casing is made out of material that's 50 percent plant-based materials, and 50 percent regular plastics. To make it, they take regular ears of corn, process it down to corn starch, and turn that into a polymer alloy. Fujitsu says it cuts down on carbon dioxide emissions during the manufacturing process by 15 percent. Unfortunately, the PCs are only on sale in Japan.

The casing of this Fujitsu PC is made half out of corn-based bio-materials and half out of traditional plastic. Fujitsu says it cuts down on carbon dioxide released during manufacturing by 15 percent.

(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET News.com)

Though it's biodegradable on the outside, on the inside, it's a normal PC. Fujitsu sells the corn-based PC for the same price as a regular plastic-encased PC, despite a more expensive manufacturing process.

(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET News.com)

What's even more interesting is that Fujitsu sells the corn-based PC for the same price as a regular plastic-encased PC, despite a more expensive manufacturing process. The model pictured here is pretty full-featured, so the equivalent price is about $2,000.

Fujitsu is currently considering whether to release a corn-based PC here in the U.S., according to the senior vice president of marketing for Fujitsu, Ryan McCormack. But it's still up in the air.

Even if it did come here, it wouldn't have to be made out of corn to achieve the same results. According to McCormack, potatoes and castor oil offer the same energy-saving benefits as corn.

[close5828]

Awesome

I'm glad to see computer manufacturers taking charge and "Going Green". I just bought an HP but my next notebook (3-4yrs from now) will definitely be a "corn PC" or better.

[lnxpro]

Sweet... or not.

if it didn't have 50% plastic would it be edible? hehe. next time u stuck in a plane, hungry? grab a bite out of your laptop. rofl.

[whoperson]

Non Food uses of food crops

I'm not sure this is a good idea. If it were made from corn stalks
that would be different, but the demand for bio-fuels is already
driving corn prices up. If this sort of thing keeps up, you may have
to eat your computer because grain prices will be so high you can't
afford a loaf of bread ;-)

[gjbloom]

Biodegradeable?

They add just 15% cornstarch to plastic shopping bags to allow them to decay to shreds after exposure to sunlight. I wonder how this case will fare if used outdoors much?