Breath powered USB generator does charging on the go

Hey, we're tired of waiting for wireless charging solutions to actually hit the market just as much as the next guy (or gal), but one inventive soul took that frustration out on a swank DIY project that elicits energy from simply breathing. We've seen the use of hot air in powering gadgets before, but this homegrown USB charger was assembled by simply using "parts scavenged from an old CD-ROM drive, a basic electronic circuit, and a few rubber bands." The chest-worn device was intended to output around one-watt for charging a cellphone, which could purportedly juice it up in just under three hours, but unfortunately for us all, this seemingly brilliant device only mustered about 50mW of energy. Of course, that's still getting somewhere, but we're not exactly keen on wearing this thing around for an entire day in order to add a few battery bars to our mobile. Nevertheless, the creator doesn't look to be giving up on it so soon, and hopefully v2 will allow our breath to add new life to our lappies or electric cars, eh?

[Via Slashgear]

[st2356 @ Jul 1st 2007 8:35AM]

That's brilliant

[Grey Acumen @ May 17th 2007 11:23AM]

Truly.

Only real problem is that with the extra resistance, people will tend to breath less if they aren't thinking of it... If they are thinking of it, it might encourage stronger breath and diaphragm control.

Either way, it's basically the first step towards biometric charging. Soon, our breath will power our titanium reinforced exoskeletal suits.

[dj2007 @ May 17th 2007 11:25AM]

I wouldn't try to bring this rig through airport security to keep my iPod charged during a cross-country flight...

[steve-o @ May 17th 2007 11:29AM]

Is this real? After the Apple release date scare, I'm hesitant to believe anything that Engadget posts.

[surfwax95 @ May 17th 2007 11:54AM]

@steve-o

I'm sure Ryan feels terribly after posting that story. You don't have to continue posting this stuff. Let it go.

[lewi @ May 17th 2007 12:11PM]

Surely a more advanced module would have some use for joggers powering their iPods?

[JayBandit @ May 17th 2007 1:16PM]

I think this guy would be able to get more than 50mW if he got different gear ratios going. All those small electronic motors have great bearings usually, so it wouldn't increase the torque a detrimental amount; yet you'd get much more power generation. Just food for thought.

[boomhauer @ May 17th 2007 2:11PM]

Ive been using breathe-powered charging for ages...

1. breathe while walking toward my house
2. get to house, plug phone into charger.

kapow!

[oo7ev @ May 17th 2007 2:28PM]

Actually, with the hundreds of millions of cell phones located around the world in places where access to electrical power is limited, this could be very useful. Hopefully this guy or someone else could develop it for the people who really need it, not just us lazy asses who don't want to plug the little thingy into the phone to power it up. (i am one of those lazy asses)

[boomhauer @ May 17th 2007 2:33PM]

so, in places where electrical power is limited.. why are people talking on cell phones?

[AtroPunk @ May 18th 2007 1:58PM]

If there is not electicity then likely there is not cell service!

[oo7ev @ May 18th 2007 12:44PM]

If you had any knowledge about the subject, you would know that the vast majority of the third world does not need a laptop, they need a valid form of communication, cell phones provide this. Communication for health emergencies, natural disasters, etc. Obviously they can't use cell phones if there is no power, so they're use has been limited. Something like this may be able to help.

[boomhauer @ May 18th 2007 1:59PM]

-2 humor points for oo7 ;) yes i know the third world market is what drove nokia to record setting sales, and is a huge focus for motorola now with their eink phone etc.

[kevjohn @ May 17th 2007 2:50PM]

These guys really dropped the ball on this one. They should have gotten some busty tech babe to strap this thing on. That would have increased interest a thousandfold. What a wasted opportunity.

[boomhauer @ May 17th 2007 3:29PM]

and then put it on all the geeks looking at the babe...

[Thomas Rates @ May 17th 2007 4:33PM]

Is that the dude's chest or back in the picture.

[James @ May 17th 2007 4:40PM]

It's positively criminal that NickNeg is not on the phone with this guy *right now* hiring him to work for OLPC. To hell with the yo-yo charger *and* the hand crank -- charge by breathing? Sign me up.

Can you imagine harnessing the natural energy of millions of little 3rd-world kids to power their own computers without even thinking about it? Seriously, you could make one of these things that you wear like a backpack with either the laptop itself or just the battery on your back, and just playing a game of soccer or whatever would charge it the whole way up!

Well, it's a thought...

[jon @ May 17th 2007 6:04PM]

Could have other applications besides just charging your cell phone. Say you put the mechanics in a backpack with the straps coming out the side, a hiker could wear it to power a battery in the backpack. Maybe charge his GPS when he gets lost or some other electronics he has brought with him. It could even have military applications... can't always find an outlet in the middle of Baghdad!

[links @ May 18th 2007 11:30AM]

Hmmm this is definiately not bad at all.

http://www.famousstamps.org

[boomhauer @ May 18th 2007 2:04PM]

in fact, i wish the eink phone would work here... cheap, and LONG battery charge. my fancy schmancy phones ive recently owned, cant afford to forget to charge for 1 stinkin day and poof battery dead.

[Ben @ May 21st 2007 6:38AM]

This is obscenely impractical. I like it.