BS: A wee battery......

Subject: BS: A wee battery......
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 12:31 AM

Now if these chaps could make the battery more powerfull then there is a possibility that you could get a stage sound system for the pub/club/gig/Getaway that would have all the 'fuel' it needed to hand (no pun intended).


Check-up battery powered by urine
By Roger Highfield
(Filed: 15/08/2005)

A paper battery that generates electricity from urine has been developed by scientists in Singapore to provide a new way to have a medical check-up.

The new battery will be ideal for cheap, disposable health care test kits for diabetes, among other ailments.

Scientists are trying to design ever smaller "biochips" that can test for a variety of diseases at once, give instant results, and, crucially, can be mass produced. But until now, no one has been able to make a power source as small and as cheap as the detection technology itself.

Led by Dr Ki Bang Lee, a research team at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology describes the latest advance today in the Institute of Physics' Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.

The paper battery is small, cheap to produce and uses the fluid being tested (urine) as the power source for the device doing the testing for glucose, in the case of diabetes, and other chemicals.

Dr Lee envisages a world where people can use disposable home test kits that do not require lithium batteries or external power sources.

"We are striving to develop cheap, disposable credit card-sized biochips for disease detection. Our battery can be easily integrated into such devices, supplying electricity upon contact with biofluids such as urine," he said.

The battery unit is made from a layer of paper steeped in copper chloride and sandwiched between strips of magnesium and copper. This is then laminated. The final product is 60mm by 30mm, with a thickness of just 1mm.

Using 0.2ml of urine, Dr Lee generated a voltage of around 1.5V with a corresponding maximum power of 1.5mW.

The work complements the "Intelligence Toilet" system, created by Japan's largest lavatory company, Toto, that can measure sugar levels in urine, blood pressure, body fat and weight, but costs nearly £2,000.

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: RangerSteve
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 01:00 AM

I guess it beats sticking needles in my finger. I'd still prefer a method that doesn't involve any body fluids at all.

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 04:04 AM

should that be a "wee wee battery"

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 04:28 AM

Are you taking the p*ss, Noddy

LOLOL
Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 05:41 AM

Imagine the papercuts you could get starting it up?!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 07:39 AM

And are the people who seek medical advice from a porcelain fixture in a public restroom (where the "Intelligent Toilet" reportedly is most used) the same ones who trust the advice they seek here?

And does the thing give you a written report to take to your medical professional - written on what?

John

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 10:54 AM

What we need is a battery that runs on beer.

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: Cluin
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 01:48 PM

This one will, lee. At least, filtered beer.

Subject: RE: BS: A wee battery......
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 16 Aug 05 - 05:10 AM

Don wyziwyg T, no but it is Shocking!! Imagine a short circuit OUCH!