April 21, 2008- Samsung is in the process of a creating a real innovation in cell phone design and power. With the world searching for new ways to create and maintain power, many researchers are turning to the ever present powers of nature: water, wind, solar… Samsung has followed suit with their water powered cell phone battery. Samsung Electro-Mechanics have created a new way for users to power their cell phones. This micro-fuel cell and hydrogen generator actually runs on water. When the mobile device being powered is turned on, the metal and water within the devices produce hydrogen gas which is then sent to fuel cells where it reacts with oxygen in the air and generates the power that maintains the mobile device. The real innovative part is that most other power sources that run off water require methanol in order to produce hydrogen, this device only needs water!

Micro-fuel cells are used for cell phones because they can generate up to 3 watts of electricity. This energy source could power a mobile device for up to ten hours, which is twice the amount of time that traditional batteries last. Researchers at Samsung who are responsible for this new innovation in mobile power expect that these water-powered cell phones will reach the market by 2010. They speculate that is users use their mobile devices for an average of four hours a day, then they will only need to charge the hydrogen cartridge around ever fifth day of usage. For the future, researchers are looking for more options that will not need the hydrogen to be charged and only need to be filled with water.

Source: mobiledia.com