Voller ABC – personal portable hydrogen fuel cell

A new fuel cell designed to recharge your iPod and other devices to provide extra life has positive and negative aspects. On the plus side, it means that you can have power for your iPod for up to a week of continuous use on a single tank of hydrogen, even if you are nowhere near a plug-in. On the negative, it isn’t exactly portable.

The Voller Automatic Battery Charger (ABC for short) can provide power to all sorts of devices, thanks to a USB port, a cigarette lighter adapter and a regular wall socket. It provides US and European voltages, so you can power your laptop no matter where you are from. It’s driven by a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane hydrogen fuel cell. The hydrogen is stored in a removable tank and the company is working with other companies to find ways to deliver the fuel. It all sounds good except for the portability – it weighs more than 9 kilograms, so you won’t be slipping it into your pocket.