Posted on 07/29/2013 11:03:08 AM PDT by Red Badger
British scientists on Tuesday reported they had harnessed the power of urine and were able to charge a mobile phone with enough electricity to send texts and surf the internet. Researchers from the University of Bristol and Bristol Robotics Laboratory in south west England said they had created a fuel cell that uses bacteria to break down urine to generate electricity, in a study published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.
"No one has harnessed power from urine to do this so it's an exciting discovery," said engineer Ioannis Ieropoulos.
"The beauty of this fuel source is that we are not relying on the erratic nature of the wind or the sun; we are actually reusing waste to create energy.
"One product that we can be sure of an unending supply is our own urine," he added.
The team grew bacteria on carbon fibre anodes and placed them inside ceramic cylinders.
The bacteria broke down chemicals in urine passed through the cylinders, building up a small amount of electrical charge which was stored on a capacitor.
Ieropoulos hoped that the cell, which is currently the size of a car battery, could be developed for many applications.
"Our aim is to have something that can be carried around easily," he explained.
"So far the microbial fuel power stack (MFC) that we have developed generates enough power to enable SMS messaging, web browsing and to make a brief phone call.
"The concept has been tested and it works - it's now for us to develop and refine the process so that we can develop MFCs to fully charge a battery."
They hope the technology will eventually be used to power domestic devices.
Mobile phones are displayed on May 20, 2013. British scientists on Tuesday reported they had harnessed the power of urine and were able to charge a mobile phone with enough electricity to send texts and surf the Internet.
Wee! Now I can make a bunch of phone calls in the middle of the night!
How much will the reactants cost, ot6her than the urine that is...
Hidden costs, the bane of all utopian schemes
What a load of hogwash.
They’re just peeing in our ear.
The Anthony Weiner Special Edition.....The iPutz.......
Typical, scientists pissing away tax money as the economy crashes.
Behold, the power of pee...
It’s not true! I dropped my phone in the toilet...and it didn’t get recharged. :)
I bet it got replaced.......
This technology has been around for eons...
Yeah. Rice didn’t work...
BS. This is actually very old technology, just in a new wrapper. And it won't be any more successful than it was 70 years ago
You’re not supposed to cook the rice...........
0bamaphones are powered by BullSh*t.
Don’t give these phones to young boys. Have you seen the walls and floor around urinals? These phones should come with a mop.
"Our aim is to have something that can be carried around easily," he explained."
This is very promising.
Can you sell your urine like a blood bank that pays?
*snicker*
I'm glad my iPhone is just like it is for now. Would hate to carry a car battery size cell phone on my shoulder.
Don’t piss on my leg and tell me you’re charging your phone.
We also have a sayin’ Senator, don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s rainin’...
Heh.
What I posted a bit later than your ‘water wheel’ post wasn’t a joke... They actually had some urine activated batteries back in WWII.
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