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Toshiba Develops World's Smallest Fuel Cells 323

Posted by CowboyNeal from the anti-freeze-power dept.
An anonymous reader writes "When you think of Toshiba, you might think of notebooks, but fuel cells? Never. Well, at least not until up to now. Toshiba claims to have made the world's smallest fuel cell to date. The direct methanol fuel cell can fit inside of the smallest of gadgets, ranging from MP3 Players to portal DVD Players. Most fuel cells require a pump that can mix the methanol and water, and a fan to help cool the pump. This makes installing fuel cells in smaller items out of the question. However, Toshiba's new fuel cell does not require a fan or a pump to operate, which means it's much smaller in size, and can be installed in almost any small device."
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Toshiba Develops World's Smallest Fuel Cells More

Toshiba Develops World's Smallest Fuel Cells

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  • Not smallest (Score:5, Informative)

    by Oculus Habent ( 562837 ) * <oculus.habent@gma i l . c om> on Thursday June 24, 2004 @05:55PM (#9522994) Journal
    Motorola designed this [dpreview.com] sort of thing in 2000, and it's smaller.

    • Re:Not smallest (Score:4, Insightful)

      by j1m+5n0w ( 749199 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:11PM (#9523140) Homepage Journal
      Motorola designed this sort of thing in 2000, and it's smaller.

      Interesting. Any guesses how they compare in terms of power output and efficiency?

      -jim

  • Hours of runtime, and portable, which makes it better than a shower massage. Carpe technology...

  • More effecient? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Peterl ( 39350 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @05:57PM (#9523007)
    One would think that the lack of a pump and fan would improve the effeciency, as well.

    • Re:More effecient? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by djtripp ( 468558 ) <djtripp AT gmail DOT com> on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:01PM (#9523047) Homepage Journal
      And less moving parts, means less heat, less burned legs, and less chance of the cell exploding on your lap.
    • I'd think just the opposite. This fuel cell is relying on a concentration gradient to move the fuel around. I would think that would make it produce plenty of excess power initially, and then too little power later, being rather wasteful.

      I like the idea of air-breathing fuel cells more. Why carry your oxidizer around? It's the bulky component. It's not like you're running it in the near-vaccum of space. :)

  • Amazing Summary (Score:2, Informative)

    by OverlordQ ( 264228 ) *
    Considering the summary here a good 9/10 of whats in the linked Overclockers Club here's some links from some more normal [bbc.co.uk] news [fuelcelltoday.com] outlets [forbes.com]

    • Re:Amazing Summary (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Rei ( 128717 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:35PM (#9523314) Homepage
      It's already 8.5 grams for 100 mw and lasts 20 hours? 235Wh/kg - that's already better than some of the best batteries out there (say, Zinc-air, at 200). I'm impressed. Of course, the power density (11.7 W/kg) leaves something to be desired... (even your weakest chemical batteries will give you at least 80 W/kg (say, Zinc bromide)). Here's to them getting better. :)

      Only 2cc (ml) of methanol in that? That means that only 1.58 grams of it are the methanol. All I can say is, "wow". If you were to double the mass of this fuel cell by adding only a fuel tank (assuming the weight of the tank is negligable), you should be able to get 139 hours (1.635 kWh/kg) out of it (!). I could live with that ;)

  • cluster (Score:2, Interesting)

    by azmatsci ( 759463 )
    If I beowulf them, can I improve the fuel efficnency of my crappy Explorer? Taking a road trip next week and already worried about the checking acount.

    On the other side, we will now be able to talk on our cell phone anywhere any time. No loger will 'my battery is dead' be an accetable reason for not calling the boss back. Gee, thanks guys.

    • Re:cluster (Score:3, Informative)

      by karnal ( 22275 )
      You have an explorer and you're worried about funding the gasoline for it?

      Sounds like someone needs to go down to his neighborhood Kia dealer. Or maybe get a VW Jetta TDI. A friend of mine has one, 50mpg.

      Of course, I shouldn't talk. I drive either a 99 grand marquis or a 78 cougar.

  • What we really need... (Score:5, Funny)

    by NIK282000 ( 737852 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @05:58PM (#9523026) Homepage Journal
    ...Is a fule cell that produces 2 things, electricity for our gear and as a byproduct of the energy it makes some form of caffienated beverage.

  • EE Times article (Score:5, Informative)

    by morcheeba ( 260908 ) * on Thursday June 24, 2004 @05:59PM (#9523032) Journal
    More info from [eetimes.com]. If that link doesn't work (it has a session ID I couldn't remove), try looking at the EE Times front page [eetimes.com]

    One third of the volume of the device is fuel; if you doubled the volume, you'd get 4x the life.
    ----
    TOKYO -- Toshiba Corp. has developed a matchbox-sized direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with no moving parts.

    The prototype measures 22 x 56 mm with a thickness of 4.5 mm and includes a 2-cc capacity fuel tank. The fuel cell weighs 8.5 grams, and has an output power of 100 mW. Using a 99.5-percent concentration of methanol, the fuel cell can power low-power consumption devices such as MP3 audio players for about 20 hours, Toshiba said. Toshiba divides its DMFC development into two types, "active" and "passive." The new passive fuel cell aims for higher power -- more than 10 W at 10-20V generated by active systems, which use a pump and fan to feed methanol and oxygen into a cell stack where oxygen reacts with the methanol to produce electricity.

    Toshiba unveiled an active prototype to power notePCs last spring, and plans to introduce a product later this year.

    The passive model features a simpler structure, making use of the concentration gradient to feed methanol and oxygen to the cell stack. "We eliminated mechanical components such as a fan and fuel pump used in active-type DMFCs. Instead, we devised a way to supply fuel and air uniformly," said Fumio Ueno, a technology executive at Toshiba Display Device & Components Control Center.

    Toshiba engineers reduced catalyst particles nanometer size. The electrodes measure 2 x 3 cm, but deliver the same output power as Toshiba's conventional DMFC using electrodes five times larger.

    Toshiba plans to introduce the small DMFC with an output power of about 100 mW sometime next year.

    Toshiba engineers said the fuel cell can power some portable devices such audio players. "We'll work on improving the output, then the fuel cell can power cellular phones," said Kazunori Fukuma, managing director of Toshiba Display Devices & Components Control Center.

    For cellphone applications, Toshiba is targeting an output level of 2W at 4V. "More functions are implemented in a cellular phone, such as TV reception. This will increase the need for fuel cells," Fukuma said.

    Initially, it will be difficult to replace current lithium ion batteries with DMFCs, and a hybrid configuration may make the most sense. The fuel cell could charge the lithium ion battery when the phone is idle.
  • OK so here's my thing. Does anybody else out there associate the word "fuel" with highly combustible? This whole idea of putting methanol inside my laptop and then firing the whole thing up makes me a little uncomfortable.

    I assume these things are perfectly safe to use?

    • and if ... (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Via_Patrino ( 702161 )
      Wonder if you're on an airplane and a despresurization happens, the fuel cell blows and nobody can see the flames (because they're invisible). can you flight safe carring one of these?

    • Re:A loud bang followed by death? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by JesseL ( 107722 ) * on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:05PM (#9523084) Homepage Journal

      What, you think normal chemical batteries are safe? Between the highly caustic acids or alkalines, the heavy metals, lack of short circuit detection, propensity for exploding or shooting flames when overcharged, ordianary batteries are death machines if that's your way of thinking.

      I don't worry about it much.

    • Re:A loud bang followed by death? (Score:5, Informative)

      by mangu ( 126918 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:07PM (#9523103)
      It should makes you more than a little uncomfortable to know that many types of batteries have highly combustible and/or toxic and/or corrosive materials in them. Try opening a lithium-ion battery and putting the contents in a glass of water to see what happens... No, I just remembered, this is Slashdot so maybe someone will try this. Do NOT open any batteries, ever. The contents in most of them is more dangerous than methanol.
      • wrong lithium... lipo batteries are used extensively in electric RC flight, saltwater is the recommended method of discharging a bad pack. (the nasty lithium is an elemental form, batteries use and oxide)

      • Take that warning seriously! (Score:5, Informative)

        by Kiyooka ( 738862 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @07:28PM (#9523667)
        For the curious: don't try it. I used to work for a battery manufacturer. Suffice it to say that if one of the chemical tanks were to rupture, they would have had to evacuate most of that city immediately because of the toxic gas. And that's just one ingredient.

        Trust me, it's not worth it, even if you're curious. You might regret it for the rest of your (short?) life!
    • Well, you seem to have no problem with stuff like Nickelic Hydroxide, Poly-vinyl chloride, Mercury or Polychlorinated biphenyls. Look at it this way, if your computer hasn't killed you or given you cancer yet odds are youre safe.
    • Try shorting out a li-ion battery while it's on your lap.

      It's fun, I swear!

      Seriously, though - they're going to have to make them safe enough for consumer use (i.e. average jane and joe) so I figure you'll have as much of a chance of one of the fuel cells blowing sky high as the li-ion battery...

      My big question would be - since I'm into rechargables (AA, AAA, etc) - is there an easy way to make your own "wood alcohol" or whatever it is to power these? I'm kinda spoiled by just spending $$ on electricity
      • As to whether your rechargables are costing you money, my feeling is that even if they do (and I dont know either way), you'd be paying for the convenience of never swapping them out (or going out to buy more).

        As to the fuel cells, my guess is that you'd have to do something like recharge them via a larger containment cell like when you refill your blowtorch from a larger gas can. The methanol can, in this case, would be pressurized, with a nozzle that fits into a socket on the battery. You'd push it i
        • Why would it be pressurized? methanol exists as a liquid at standard temperature & pressure.
          It would be like refilling a zippo, or a lawnmower, or a motorbike.. not like refilling propane or a butane lighter or anything like that.
      • 5% concentration is sold in pharmacies all over the world already- this is rubbing alcohol. It shouldn't be very expensive to manufacture this in 95% purity- just send it through a still. Better yet, just get some sawdust (your local woodworking shops have tons of the stuff), add water, the proper yeast (I'd have to look that one up) bring to the proper temerature for the yeast, and then distill the mash result. Don't drink it though- it'll make you blind. But basically, this stuff is so easily manufact

    • Re:A loud bang followed by death? (Score:5, Informative)

      by stienman ( 51024 ) <adavis&ubasics,com> on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:21PM (#9523213) Homepage Journal
      I assume these things are perfectly safe to use?

      Perfectly safe? Sorry bubble boy, but even a padded chamber isn't perfectly safe.

      These are reasonably safe, though. For any oxygen combustable fuel to flame you need the fuel in a gaseous or vaporized form within a sufficiently (but not too high) oxygen rich environment.

      The small amount of fuel that's in this device would have to turn to gas and flame in the air. You wouldn't be able to fit enough air inside the canister and enable the methanol to turn to gas to cause an explosion. However the space is small enough that it isn't feasable until the canister is empty (only vapor remains). Even then oxygen isn't allowed in the canister. Even then they have overpressure vents which would, at most, cause this device to "vent with flame," as most manufacturers claim LI-ION device may due in the worst cases.

      So - reasonably safe yes, perfectly safe, no. Safe enough to prevent multi-mullion dollar liability suits? You bet.

      It's all about the bottom line.... Heh, heh, heh.

      -Adam

    • Lithium Ion just as dangerous (Score:4, Interesting)

      by SuperBanana ( 662181 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:25PM (#9523247)
      This whole idea of putting methanol inside my laptop and then firing the whole thing up makes me a little uncomfortable.

      Then don't think about the lithium ion cells in your laptop/cell phone right now, because they have extremely high energy densities(the battery pack in my Powerbook 17" is probably the same volume as a CD jewel case, and yet contains 61 Watt-hours of power), and require careful management by the device to keep from entering thermal runaway mode, where the battery gets hotter and hotter until it explodes- and I do mean -explodes-. Rather violently.

      For several years(possibly still) battery companies wouldn't sell Lithium Ion batteries to anyone except certified "solution providers" to assure the batteries had proper charging and monitoring.

    • ... and here in New Zealand there's a market for 70million MP3 players for sheep.
    • Does anybody else out there associate the word "fuel" with highly combustible? This whole idea of putting methanol inside my laptop and then firing the whole thing up makes me a little uncomfortable.

      I know exactly what you mean. Each time I refill my zippo with fuel I pray that it won't end up in half a city block burnt to the ground. And don't get me started on the dangers of refilling your car. True deathtrap, that. How people think combining explosive engines and large volumes of highly flammable liqui

  • this may give a push to harddrive mp3 players (Score:5, Interesting)

    by porky_pig_jr ( 129948 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:00PM (#9523040)
    since the battery is their weakest link.

    Wonder how long it takes when we see iPod or iRiver or other hard-drive based players with cell inside.

    • Not likely. Possibly a secondary fuel source, but you can't just drop your iPod in the dock to recharge it with a methanol fuel cell. I could see Belkin - they made damn near everything else for the iPod - producing a clip-on charger, though, possibly built into a carrying case.

      It if did make it, I imagine the cells will be much like calligraphy pen cartridges (plastic cylinder) and would slide into place conveniently. The devices will probably require a rechargeable battery as well. If your fuel cell cell phone (FuelCellphone?) is getting low on methanol, you might lose power while it's sideways in a pocket.

  • Picture of fuel cell (Score:5, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:02PM (#9523056)
    DPReview has a pic of it.

    http://www.dpreview.com/news/0406/04062401toshib af uel.asp

  • What About Refills? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by artlu ( 265391 ) <artlu@art[ ]net ['lu.' in gap]> on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:02PM (#9523057) Homepage Journal
    If the items are so small then how much energy can they realistically generate? Sure, I may get an extra five hours of my iPod, but if I have to go though the trouble of refilling the damn thing instead of just plugging it in, then I don't see the point.

    I like portable fuel cells for laptop use because you can get about 18 hours out of one cell, which is great for flights to India, but when else do you really need that much battery life?

    GroupShares Inc. [groupshares.com] - An Interactive Stock Market Community
    • I believe the point is that you can quickly refill the cell and you're off on the road again. You're right that you can already simply plug in, but you'll be tethered for a while until your battery is charged again.

    • Re:What About Refills? (Score:5, Informative)

      by FreeLinux ( 555387 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:15PM (#9523174)
      Perhaps a RTFA is in order.

      The tiny fuel cell uses 2cc of concentrated methanol to provide 20 hours of power at 100 milliwatts, max.

      With regard to refilling. This will be done with a can of compressed methanol. Simply plug the can into the cell for a few seconds and you're good to go for another 20 hours. This process will be very similar to the way that butane cigarette lighters are refilled and have been for more than 30 years. Just for the record, butane is much more flamable/explosive than methanol. Yet, when last did you read of a can of butane or a refillable cigarette lighter exploding?

      • The tiny fuel cell uses 2cc of concentrated methanol to provide 20 hours of power at 100 milliwatts, max.

        "Concentrated methanol"???

        Pure methanol perhaps, but I don't believe you can concentrate methanol at all.

        With regard to refilling. This will be done with a can of compressed methanol

        Errr.. another point of error: being a liquid at normal temperature, methanol is virtually incompressible.

        This process will be very similar to the way that butane cigarette lighters are refilled and have been for mor
    • When you're working in an environment in which you have to move from room to room fairly often and would not rather lug an adapter with you, or spend time looking for outlets, or worry about the issue at all. Hell, I find it inconvenient to worry about it in my own home -- get up from desk, kneel down, unplug adapter from under desk, carry adapter in one hand, laptop in other and beer bottle in teeth to living room, put down beer and laptop, rummage around under couch for power strip...etc. etc.

    • Re:What About Refills? (Score:5, Funny)

      by Jtheletter ( 686279 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:24PM (#9523237)
      Sure, I may get an extra five hours of my iPod, but if I have to go though the trouble of refilling the damn thing instead of just plugging it in, then I don't see the point.

      Ok, here's how you get the point. Both of us go camping in Maine with our iPods. We each rock out to our very hip playlists for a day or two until the batteries die. I will reach into my backpack and take out a 2 oz bottle of methanol that will last me for a week, while you attempt to plug your iPod into a tree.

      It may seem like outlets are ubiquitous, but they're not. The idea is that you can take a number of "recharges" with you and it takes up minimal space. Refilling the cell is also not going to be like pouring oil in your car with a funnel, it's more like refilling a butane lighter by pressing the spout of the fuel can up to the fuel port for a few seconds.

      OTOH though, I work with Methanol at my job, and it is some nasty shit. I'm not so sure how consumer friendly this particular fuel cell will be, in general it's a bad idea to be carrying around any amount of methanol. I'll wait for the cells that run off plain old alcohol so my iPod can booze up with me at the bar.

      "Bartender! Another round for me, and one for my little friend here!"

    • Re:What About Refills? (Score:2, Insightful)

      by kfg ( 145172 )
      . . .if I have to go though the trouble of refilling the damn thing instead of just plugging it in, then I don't see the point.

      Refilling the thing creates an instant recharge and may be done where there is no place to plug in, like on an 18 day walk, which may not be your thing, but is for plenty of others, who may well find GPS nice to have along under the same circumstances.

      Great for boaters too.

      Most of the world is not yet wired, and much of that even lacks availiblity of batteries. Nontheless people

  • How long before... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Nom du Keyboard ( 633989 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:05PM (#9523082)
    How long before I can get one converted over to ethanol, and installed in my stomach to use excess fuel to power my array of personal electronics?
    • The downside is that you'll have to pay Microsoft a patent fee to use your skin as a conductor for the electricity.
    • How long before I can get one converted over to ethanol, and installed in my stomach


      Quick, go patent that idea. There are several projects of artificial body parts, hearts for instance, whose main problem is the power supply. Can you imagine an artificial heart powered by ethanol in the blood? "Sure, I do drink a little. But it's doctor's orders, you know. Moderate consumption of alcohol is good for the heart".

  • Portal DVD player? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Armarius ( 595436 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:05PM (#9523088) Homepage
    From the post:

    "ranging from MP3 Players to portal DVD Players"

    What's a portal DVD player? Is that like a Stargate? :-)

  • Portable Methane (Score:5, Funny)

    by platypibri ( 762478 ) <platypibri@@@gmail...com> on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:09PM (#9523121) Homepage Journal
    If you want true portable methane power, find a way to harness the awesome effects of my award winning Split Pea Soup! A small hose could be ran from the "back end" of the methane converter to a meriad of electronic devices. My wife can vouch for the consistent power output.

  • Only 100 mW (Score:5, Informative)

    by G4from128k ( 686170 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:11PM (#9523139)
    Another article [thestar.com] reports that the power output is only 100 milliwatts for the 8.5 gm device. This suggests that a 1/2 kg version of the thing would only put out 5.9 watts - not enough to power a laptop. It looks like an interesting powersource for low-power devices, but anything with a backlit display or modern mobile processor is probably not feasible with this tiny unit.

  • Elaborating on the details (Score:3, Informative)

    by kyoko21 ( 198413 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:13PM (#9523152)
    More can be read here...

    News links from google... [google.com]

  • I even RTFA and didn't see any mention of how much they might cost.
    • I even RTFA and didn't see any mention of how much they might cost.

      I think that, right now, these fall under the general heading "if you don't know the price, you can't afford it anyhow". Like a used McLaren F1 or a mint M60.

  • More on ... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by RobFrontier ( 550029 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:15PM (#9523172)
    Here is another article related to the fuel cell in question, and what they are going to use it for. http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080& sid=a5sZn3vGo1js&refer=asia I haven't seen anything on cost yet, anyone heard?

  • Toshiba is a really big company . . . (Score:5, Insightful)

    by StateOfTheUnion ( 762194 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:16PM (#9523176) Homepage
    When you think of Toshiba, you might think of notebooks, but fuel cells? Never.

    When I think of Toshiba, I think of plastics, bulk chemicals, PLC's, motors, instrumentation, batteries, X-ray machines, and I'm not sure that they still do this, but they used to even be into heavy machinery . . . as well as computers, semiconductors and consumer electronics. Are fuel cells really a stretch?

    Does the author of the topic really think that /. readers are that naive?

  • Wonderful (Score:4, Interesting)

    by chuckw ( 15728 ) * on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:20PM (#9523199) Homepage Journal
    This is great! Now can we finally buy one of these f00king things? Or must we be constantly taunted with these advances only available as prototypes to large multi-national corporations and well financed government labs...
  • Along with yet another article [fuelcelltoday.com] regarding Toshiba's new fuel cell, Fuel Cell Today [fuelcelltoday.com] has some other interesting news items regarding Fuel Cell technology worth reading.

  • Methanol questions (Score:3, Interesting)

    by tortoise42 ( 673613 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:23PM (#9523227)
    This is great, but is there any word on how much methanol something like this would go through? More importantly, when are Radio Shack and K-Mart going to begin distributing methanol? I'll need to pick some up on my way out of town.
    • The beauty of this is that you don't need to buy methanol; we all produce it. So just buy some beans and stick the cell up your @$$ to recharge it.

      I believe it's called "closing the loop", though I can think of some better names for it.

      Please don't mod this funny; that would only encourage me.

  • Mitochondria (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:30PM (#9523283)
    "Toshiba Develops World's Smallest Fuel Cells"

    Actually no. Your cells have the world's smallest fuel cell. And they were first.
  • From the original topic:

    Most fuel cells require a pump that can mix the methanol and water, and a fan to help cool the pump.

    I read several of the articles linked here, but I don't understand why the original article implies that this fuel cell is special because it doesn't a pump to mix methanol and water . . . this implies that water is needed by most fuel cells . . . which brings me to the crux of my question . . why is water needed in the first place? According to other posters, this fuel cell uses

    • Re:Why do "most fuel cells" require water? (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      From :

      http://www.dpreview.com/news/0001/00012004motor o la batt.asp

      A direct methanol fuel cell converts the energy in methanol directly to electricity and operates at normal room temperatures. A catalyst (typically a mixture of platinum and ruthenium) is used to react a dilute mixture of methanol and water to form carbon dioxide, protons, and electrons, which provide the electrical current. The protons are conducted through a proton-conducting organic membrane to another platinum catalyst where the protons
  • Fuel cells, holographic memory cubes (1 inch cubed please), OLED monitors for your laptop/desktop...

    they are all fscking vaporware - and they comprise at least 1% of all /. stories over the last 5 years.

    i vote on a ban against all these stories until the story is....

    "(insert technology) deivces arrive at Best Buy"
    • Private spaceflight was vaporware also until this last week. It was interesting to read articles on how the projects have evolved until we got to this point.
      I don't mind having 1% of all /. stories dealing with the evolution of near future technology.

  • Conglomerates (Score:4, Informative)

    by LinuxInDallas ( 73952 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @06:42PM (#9523366)
    Who thinks of tractors when they think of Hitachi? Probably just about no one but they do make them. These Japanese conglomerates are huge and they have their fingers in a whole lot of pies.

  • No mention of Homeland Security issues? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I wonder will passengers be permitted to board an aircraft with items that are powered by these fuel cells? Heck, the fearful fascists take away cigarette lighters. Why not fuel cells?

  • Grammar so bad it hurts (Score:3, Interesting)

    by DongleFondle ( 655040 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @07:10PM (#9523557)
    "Toshiba claims to of made the worlds smallest fuel cell to date."

    Does that make anyone else wince in pain?

  • mhtx, micro fuel cell (Score:4, Interesting)

    by bob_jenkins ( 144606 ) on Thursday June 24, 2004 @08:00PM (#9523865) Homepage Journal
    I used to invest in Manhattan Technologies (mhtx), which made micro fuel cells that ran off methanol, before they ran out of money and went into hibernation. These things were manufactured using printed circuit technology on plastic sheets, no moving parts, rolled up pretty small. They made prototypes, but never divulged which technical details were keeping them from going production. They've got lots of patents. They'll probably wake up and sue anyone who actually succeeds in manufacturing small fuel cells.

  • Toshiba announced this AGAIN? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Animats ( 122034 ) on Friday June 25, 2004 @12:21AM (#9525140) Homepage
    Toshiba announced this in 2002 [nikkeibp.co.jp], and in 2003 [theregister.co.uk], and again in early June 2004. [bloomberg.com]

    The Bloomberg article offers some insight into the business strategy. The plan here is to make units that require a "fuel cartridge". "Fuel cartridges" contain just methanol and water, but will have markups previously seen only for printer ink. Toshiba expects to make ten times as much on the "fuel cartridges" as they do on the fuel cells.

    Look for strategies to prevent "refilling".

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