Urine-powered cell phones?

[Jazzy]

Next time your cell phone dies, you might not need to hunt for your charger. Just drink a tall glass of water and wait 20 minutes. When you get the sudden urge to pee, you're all set: A British researcher has figured out a way to charge cell phones with urine.

Okay, it's not quite that simple. But according to Dr. Ioannis Ieropoulos, urine is an ideal power source for small electronics. It should work for showers, lights, toothbrushes and razors, too. His breakthrough research is published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.

Not to worry -- no one will be running around peeing on cell phones anytime soon. The process requires a bit of hardware to convert the energy.

An expert in using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to generate power, Ieropoulos is the first to figure out how to turn urine directly into energy. The MFCs contain live organisms, or bugs, just like those found in soil and human digestion. In his process, urine is basically a food source for MFCs. They produce electrons, or electricity, as they eat the urine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LTprRQTKAw&feature=player_embedded

Full article

And here I thought cell phones shouldn't get wet!

 

[Evil Eye]

Guess they'll be bringing back the urine tax soon

 

[DrLeftover]

So when one of the younger guys in my office brings in their new cell phone to show off I can honestly say....

"Piss on it"

and go on about my business.

Got it.

 

[Sinon]

So when one of the younger guys in my office brings in their new cell phone to show off I can honestly say....

"Piss on it"

and go on about my business.

Got it.

More like piss in it.