WesleyT Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Scientists have developed a way to turn pee into electricity. And there's plenty were that came from, they point out. Cheap, disposable, and renewable, urine-powered batteries may be the perfect power source for disposable healthcare test kits called biochips, the researchers say. "We are striving to develop cheap, disposable credit card-sized biochips for disease detection," said battery developer Ki Bang Lee. "Our battery can be easily integrated into such devices, supplying electricity upon contact with biofluids such as urine." The research is detailed in the Aug. 15 issue of the Institute of Physics' Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. Scientists around the world are clamoring to design inexpensive biochips to quickly test for a variety of diseases. But no one has been able to make a similarly small and inexpensive power source. Lee and his team of researchers at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have tackled this problem by using the very substance being tested ? urine ? to power the test. To make the battery, Lee and his team soaked a piece of paper in copper chloride and then sandwiched it between strips of magnesium and copper. Then they laminated the credit card-sized unit between transparent plastic films. When a drop of urine is added to the copper chloride paper, a chemical reaction takes place and produces electricity, which is harnessed by the battery. A few drops will generate about 1.5 volts, the same as a AA battery. The battery needs to be developed further to make it commercially viable. "Our urine-activated battery would be integrated into biochip systems for healthcare diagnostic applications," Lee said. Lee and his team also found that they could alter the battery's performance ? voltage, power, or duration ? by adjusting the design or materials. The chemical composition of urine indicates a person's general health and is widely used in diagnostic tests. For instance, doctors measure the concentration of the sugar glucose to determine whether someone is diabetic. Lee predicts that one day people will be able to monitor their own health at home using biochips powered by this type of battery. "These fully-integrated biochip systems have a huge market potential," Lee said. http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/05...ne_battery.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2xSilverKnight Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 cool, all you need is to drink water or get drunk to recharge your battery and make some reserve :laugh: :shifty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beauvoir Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 nice ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webskater1 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 wow nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leaky Sub Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 A perfect example of science taking the pee, so to speak. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrStoo Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Amazing! In case of emergancy take a wizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marduk Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 w00t! I can't wait to buy my pee batteries! kekeke, I wouldn't mind taking a leak into a cup though if it meant I could listen to my mp3 player longer and cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leaky Sub Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Just make sure you charge them at home. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Yes, because I want my battery to smell when I'm too drunk to aim ( :whistle: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koolslacker Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 This is cool, but scientists better find the solution for the smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianPimp99 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Interesting. Better stay away from the asparagus though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObiWanToby Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Scientists need to work on more things like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LingeringSoul Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Gone are the days when people ask me to borrow batteries. Unless they're really, really desperate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illicit Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 That's pretty interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin Xie Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 (in a British accent) Fascinating! If they find a solution for the smell and to change it into car batteries, then we'd have 100% electric cars. To recharge it, just "pee" in it. Then we won't have to pay so high for gas...or even have to pay for gas at all! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesleyT Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 (in a British accent) Fascinating! If they find a solution for the smell and to change it into car batteries, then we'd have 100% electric cars. To recharge it, just "pee" in it. Then we won't have to pay so high for gas...or even have to pay for gas at all! :D 586386775[/snapback] didnt think of that yet, nice if they can do that, but i dont wonna see everyone peeing in his car in a pee stationor soemthing :ninja: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthalzen Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 didnt think of that yet, nice if they can do that, but i dont wonna see everyone peeing in his car in a pee stationor soemthing :ninja: 586388930[/snapback] LOL... Carry extra bottles :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shibby Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 cook idea. I hope they do get the most out of it, be very usefull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeyClaw Veteran Posted August 18, 2005 Veteran Share Posted August 18, 2005 wonderful, in the future when my laptop battery runs out on a flight, ill just take it into the bathroom with me and ill be set to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pre Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 A friend just pointed me in the direction of this article about generating electrical energy from urine... so what do you think? Can we power our electrical household appliances from human pee? Linkage and more information: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/2917...ine%20power.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Very neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killmaster84 Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Just think of the smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaidiir Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Just think of the smell. 586413829[/snapback] haha :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pre Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Just think of the smell. 586413829[/snapback] I don?t think you would need to be worried about the smell as it is contained within a battery...:rofl:l: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathray Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 I don?t think you would need to be worried about the smell as it is contained within a battery... :rofl:l: 586413842[/snapback] Wouldn't the urine need a way to get into the battery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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