Fuel cells coming to a DSC near you

Batteries are the bane of anyone who uses electronic gizmos of any genre so promises of hassle reducing power solutions are hard to ignore--even when they're couched in mystery. A case in point: an announcement today by methanol fuel cell maker MTI Micro, of Albany, New York, that it has cut a deal with "a global Japanese developer of products utilizing advanced optical and digital technologies, including digital cameras" to adapt MTI's Mobion fuel cell technology "for use in various precision imaging applications, including digital cameras."

"MTI Micro has now signed agreements with two global OEMs that operate within two of the three largest consumer electronic segments - mobile phones and digital cameras," the company's CEO Peng Lim said in a statement. "We are pleased that our Mobion platform may potentially power devices in these two segments."

Fuel cells have a number advantages over the current ubiquitous power plant for mobile electronics, the lithium ion battery. One edge is they don't have to be recharged. You can remove a methanol cartridge from a cell, pop another in and you're good to go. Another plus is they won't blow up in your face. What's more, they're far greener than chemical batteries. They're so safe that the U.S. Department of Transportation has already approved them for air travel--even though they're not expected to hit the mainstream until next year.