Micro-Engines To Eventually Power Your Pocket PC?

[Brad Adrian]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/31312.html' target='_blank'>http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/31312.html</a><br /><br /></div>Most of the time somebody talks about futuristic ways of powering electronic devices, fuel cells are the focus. But here's some information from [gulp] The Register that goes down a different track.<br /><br />"A research team from the University's Mechanical Engineering department lead by Dr Kyle Jiang have developed a motor just a few millimetres in size that can nevertheless generate more than 300 times as much energy as an ordinary battery. The engines (left) could be used to charge mobile phones and notebook PC batteries in just a few seconds, the team believe, eliminating the need to leave them hooked up to the mains...Soon everyone will be able to charge their mobile phones instantly using a shot of cigarette lighter fuel instead of having to find a socket for a charger and wait while the phone charges up."<br /><br />Interesting, huh? Of course, nobody knows how soon something like this might be available, but I'd bet we're talking another 10 years or so. Besides, I'm not sure which I'd prefer: the explosion risk of a hydrogen-driven fuel cell or a tiny internal combustion engine inside my Pocket PC. I guess it all depends on what kind of mileage I get...

[Anthony Caruana]

I can see it now...a guy walks into a pertol station and pulls out a PDA. The person at the next bowser asks him if takes regular or premium unleaded?

[Crystal Eitle]

I can see it now...a guy walks into a pertol station and pulls out a PDA. The person at the next bowser asks him if takes regular or premium unleaded?
Or it could be a reason for us non-smokers to walk up to a stranger and ask, "got a light?"

[WillyG]

Guess we will have combined exhaust pipe and stylus silo in the future.
A: "Heey! Your trousers is on fire"
N: "Nah, its just my Pocket Pc running on idle"

[adamz]

I wonder what kind of pollution this will cause. We'll need fire-resistant Dockers mobile pants!!

[Anthony Caruana]

So - will the next gen PocketPCs have speed/power rated by cylinders and liters instead of MHz?

The conversation will go - "Yeah I got the new Dell 6 cyl with the 4.0l motor. But I then optioned up to the V8 - fuel economy sucks but you should hear that baby roar when I push her"

Jokes aside, I am always a little skeptical about these sorts of technologies making it into such small devices. I heard a Toshiba guy talking about the joint project between their fuel cell gys and refrigeration cooling guys. Apart from the exhaust issues, I am not sure that airlines, as an example, are going to be keen to let commuters carry any deive on board with a volatile fuel.

Even in the car world, the internal combustion engine is seeing opposiition from alternative power sources such as electrical. It's hard to see combustion engines gaining acceptance in small domestic devices when they are becoming more and more unpopular in cars. :soapbox:

[Jonathon Watkins]

The last I heard was that the airlines were OK with small quantites of Methanol used to power the new fuel cell batteries and these devices. You could top up with lighter refills.

[Kati Compton]

Can you imagine all the mods? Tinted display, stripes, extra-large exhaust, people taking off the muffler, raising/lowering the chassis....

[Jonathon Watkins]

Can you imagine all the mods? Tinted display, stripes, extra-large exhaust, people taking off the muffler, raising/lowering the chassis....

So, it will be just like 'normal' PC case modding them! :lol:

[Zuph]

Can you imagine all the mods? Tinted display, stripes, extra-large exhaust, people taking off the muffler, raising/lowering the chassis....

http://www.zuph.com/ppcrice.jpg

Great, just what we need.