Urine-Powered Battery Invented

[matcom]

<snip>

A SINGAPORE scientific institute yesterday said it has invented a urine-powered micro battery that can be used in test kits for diabetes and other diseases.

The state-funded Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology said a drop of urine placed on the paper battery will generate enough electricity to power a "biochip device" that can analyse the urine sample for disease "biomarkers".
"We are striving to develop cheap, disposable credit card-sized biochips for disease," the institute's research scientist Dr Lee Ki Bang said.

"Our battery can be easily integrated into such devices, supplying electricity upon contact with biofluids such as urine," Dr Lee said.

Urine is widely used to test for signs of various diseases and as an indicator of a persons general state of health, the institute said. The glucose in urine is a useful diagnostic tool for diabetics.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16286135-13762,00.html

[Spinzonner]

1. Piss on that

hopefully

[papau]

2. "a drop of urine " - damn - everything has to be measured these days

:-)

[underpants]

3. I foresee this headline creating a Darwin Award candidate

Billy didn't you say you heard something about pissing on batt'ries to make them last longer?

[Orsino]

4. Now if there were one that ran on vinegar...

Randi Rhodes could power the entire state of Florida!