this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2025
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Hardware

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 day ago (1 children)

For people that don't know, this thing outputs 100 microwatts. That's just about enough to get an ants dick up. These batteries have a very very niche use and I don't know why the media keeps hyping these. They have been around for decades and except for some very specific uses, they are just expensive and impractical.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

They used to be used for pacemakers back in the 1970s, however since technology has advanced they have been phased out. Pacemakers don't really require an insane long battery life, because they are already very energy efficient, so a simple lithium battery lasts a long ass time. The patient also gets regular checkups where the pacemaker is replaced every so often, just to be sure it keeps functioning. These checkups are important for many reasons, so they will continue to be needed.

Modern batteries are very very good. I use these little lithium coin cells to power temperature sensors around the house. They last about 1 year, cost only a couple of buck and send their data (temperature, pressure, humidity) every 30 secs over Bluetooth.

Betavoltaic batteries with the exact same specs as this "new" one have existed for over a decade as well. This is just hype for the sake of hype.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hey, sorry the bot had a bug and this comment seems to have been affected. If you want to, you can try again and it should work this time (:

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Thanks, I may be doing it a little wrong but as long as I'm not annoying anyone I'll keep giving them out.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

!lemmySilver

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Nuclear Pacemaker.. Isn't that the plot to iron man?

I could be way off, only seen bits about it

[–] phdepressed 3 points 1 day ago

In the movies it was to repel shrapnel from his heart. The power generation was a secondary thing. Idk about comic logic.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

delivers a power output of 100 microwatts

lmao ok

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

They're gonna power a drone with it! Trust me bro, it's totally possible to make a drone that can lift its own weight with these batteries, pinky promise.