Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Get Ready for Water-Powered Cell Phones
Posted by Pete Paxton in "Smartphone Talk" @ 01:00 AM
"Samsung Electro-Mechanics has developed a micro-fuel cell and hydrogen generator that runs on water, writes the Chosun Ilbo. Oh Yong-soo, vice president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics' research centre, who said that when the handset is turned on, metal and water in the phone react to produce hydrogen gas. The gas is then supplied to the fuel cell where it reacts with oxygen in the air to generate power. Other fuel cells need methanol to produce hydrogen, while Samsung's needs only water. Since the micro-fuel cell can generate up to three watts of electricity, it could be used in mobile devices. The new fuel cell could power a handset for ten hours, twice as long as rechargeable batteries. Oh Yong-soo said water-powered handsets are expected to hit the market by 2010."
I've always been a bit of a skeptic. This is one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" stories. Think it'll really happen? When you're in the mall you can get a drink from the drinking fountain and charge your phone at the same time? Maybe in the summer when your power's getting low, you can just take a dip in the pool and poof! - you're all charged up! I wonder if eventually it can be used for laptops too. I'll be sure and update this story in 2010 and see where we're at.
I've always been a bit of a skeptic. This is one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" stories. Think it'll really happen? When you're in the mall you can get a drink from the drinking fountain and charge your phone at the same time? Maybe in the summer when your power's getting low, you can just take a dip in the pool and poof! - you're all charged up! I wonder if eventually it can be used for laptops too. I'll be sure and update this story in 2010 and see where we're at.
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