News

Bill Gates Foundation Funding Urine Battery Research

Next time your phone needs charging, spare a thought for the fact that not every part of the world is equipped with a USB socket, wall charger or similar device. The Bill Gates Foundation is now funding the research by Bristol Robotic Laboratory who have discovered a new power source, pee.

The pee powered batteries use a microbial fuel cell, in which micro-organisms take the urine, and break it down into an electrical output. It passes through several tubed that break down the urine to create electricity and the end product is actually a cleaner waste which is easier to dispose of. The cells are powerful enough to charge a smartphone or similar device.

There are short sides to the technology, one being that you need to pour pee into the battery, not exactly the sort of thing that would go down well at your local bus stop, office work place or supermarket for example, especially since it’s not the most compact of devices. Yet in parts of the world where power isn’t abundant, these special batteries could be a truly ground breaking invention and one that finds a carbon friendly solution to something that would otherwise just be a waste product.

Thank you Pocket Lint for providing us with this information.

Image courtesy of Pocket Lint.

Peter Donnell

As a child still in my 30's (but not for long), I spend my day combining my love of music and movies with a life-long passion for gaming, from arcade classics and retro consoles to the latest high-end PC and console games. So it's no wonder I write about tech and test the latest hardware while I enjoy my hobbies!

Disqus Comments Loading...

Recent Posts

Assassin’s Creed Boss Calls Shadows’ Inclusivity Backlash ‘Devastating’

The Assassin's Creed Shadows development team has been facing a difficult time amid an ongoing…

52 mins ago

Yoshi-P Says He Would Like a Re-Release of Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy Tactics

More than twenty years after the launch of Vagrant Story, many are still dreaming of…

1 hour ago

Still Wakes the Deep 

LIVE THE HORROR: An immersive disaster story aboard a stunningly realised North Sea oil rig,…

6 hours ago

PHILIPS 275V8LA – 27 Inch QHD Monitor

The Philips VA LED display uses an advanced multi-domain vertical alignment technology that gives you…

6 hours ago

EPOMAKER Ajazz AK820 Pro 75% Gasket-mounted Mechanical Keyboard 

【TFT Screen: The Interactive Interface】This 75% mechanical keyboard comes equipped with a TFT Screen, serving…

6 hours ago

Funko Fusion

FANDOM FUSION Play as your favorite characters and wield their unique weapons and skills. Team…

6 hours ago