Japanese researchers develop single centimetre fuel cells

The team from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) uses a hydrogen and air fuel mix to generate electricity. They say that a one cubic centimetre device can generate around two watts.

By building the tiddly parts together the scientists reckon they will be able to make fuel cells for a bundle of different applications.

The cells operate at a relatively low temperature of 600C or less. The scientists say this is the highest output power density ever achieved for such a low temperature fuel cell.

Fuel cells are increasingly seen as a possible replacement for batteries in handheld computers, phones and laptop PCs.

Current batteries are stuffed with poisons and have a tendency to burst into flames. µ