Gadgets, engine, heat, heat harvesting, lonnie johnson, matrix, super soaker, the matrix

Super Soaker Inventor Working on Way To Harvest Heat From Humans Matrix-Style

Who didn't like Super Soakers as a kid? You pump it a lot, it builds pressure, then it shoots liquid. In many ways, they were very similar to humans, which is why Lonnie Johnson, its inventor, is looking for ways to use harvest waste heat from humans to power a tiny Johnson system. The full name is the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy System, and it could be up to 60% efficient (standard car engines are only about 30% efficient) at the right temperature.

Not only could it be used to harvest waste heat from humans, it can be used to harvest heat from regular engines or combustion turbines, and has no moving parts at all. The National Science Foundation has granted Mr. Super Soaker funding, which means that we could soon have stuff attached to siphon off our waste heat. Or be connected to the Matrix by robots. Either/or. [Popular Mechanics via Treehugger]

3:30 PM on Fri Feb 8 2008
By Jason Chen
6,282 views
30 comments

Comments

ripfire4 at 03:41 PM on 02/08/08
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"Who didn't like Super Soakers as a kid? You pump it a lot, it builds pressure, then it shoots liquid."

Well now since you put it that way....
ripfire4 at 03:44 PM on 02/08/08
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I'll gladly contribute my waste heat to provide energy... just cup your hands together while I squeeze out the breakfast burrito in me from this morning.
wingbatwu at 03:51 PM on 02/08/08
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It's been done before by Seiko, with their "Thermic" watch
jkr at 03:51 PM on 02/08/08
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In India, they use real human waste to make energy. I wish we were that smart here in the states.
barfoo at 03:51 PM on 02/08/08
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"Harvest waste heat from humans to power a tiny Johnson system." Worst plot for a scifi porn flick EVER.
barfoo at 03:52 PM on 02/08/08
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"harvest waste heat from humans to power a tiny Johnson system." -- that's the worst plot for a scifi porn flick EVER.
jkr at 03:52 PM on 02/08/08
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also, all thermal engines need a temperature difference to work. So those thermic watches don't work in hot places.
feckineejit at 03:53 PM on 02/08/08
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why don't we have big rooms full of people riding bikes to generate electricity? harness the power of people who are working out anyway? apply it to the running costs of a health club.
feckineejit at 03:54 PM on 02/08/08
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heh heh johnson system.
Darrone at 03:54 PM on 02/08/08
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Connectedness Index: 90
Brought to you by Acura TSX

The 50? I had like the 2000, with the backpack, super pump and adjustable nozzle.

But inevitably, someone always ran and got a hose... Bastards.
hooked-on-tronics at 03:57 PM on 02/08/08
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@Darrone: Or a bucket.
Skeptical_Geezer at 03:59 PM on 02/08/08
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...and stilsuits to recyle our waste water. FREMEN UNITE! Mu'adib! Mu'adib! Mu'adib!
Fierock at 03:59 PM on 02/08/08
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um, did you read the article Jason? Johnson isn't "...looking for ways to use harvest waste heat from humans..." in fact it only briefly mentions that it could recover heat "...perhaps even the human body" way down in the second to last paragraph.

This would tend to work way more efficiently for combustion engines as Johnson is intending (several hundred degrees differential temperature), since their is not usually too much temperature differential between a human (98deg F) and the environment (e.g. room temperature, 65degF)
8thstreetlatino at 04:02 PM on 02/08/08
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The tiny johnson system? Will it be made in China? I kiiid I kiiiid!
innout3x3 at 04:04 PM on 02/08/08
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Holy crap! Nevermind, they just want crap.
m4ximusprim3 at 04:10 PM on 02/08/08
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The amount of double entendre in this post astounds me. Well done, Mr Chen. Well done indeed.
Guizzy at 04:23 PM on 02/08/08
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"You pump it a lot, it builds pressure, then it shoots liquid. In many ways, they were very similar to humans"

Nah; humans are more like the Oozinator. [www.youtube.com]
steven5737 at 04:24 PM on 02/08/08
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Wow I actually had that model of super soaker, my first one. For some reason my mom didn't find it as funny as I did when she got soaked.
tivoupgrade at 04:40 PM on 02/08/08
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Gosh, I wish I HAD a SuperSoaker when I was a kid. Now I feel old.
Szin at 04:45 PM on 02/08/08
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My favorite was the Super Soaker X75. I soaked many a friend with that bad boy.
Hiphopopotamus at 04:56 PM on 02/08/08
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If we can just couple this technology with Israel's Fully Computerized Missile Defense System (aka SkyNet)... we are one step closer to armageddon.
The Turtle at 05:01 PM on 02/08/08
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I need to adjust the font size so that lines wrap a little more sensibly. All I saw was "to power a tiny johnson."

And I'm like, "what, some sort of digital johnson, or the patented Big Johnson(tm) brand motorized marital aid?" And what happens when such a device gets into thermal runaway?
citrush2o at 05:02 PM on 02/08/08
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wow, the inuendo potential for this post is absolutely astounding!
ANoel at 05:13 PM on 02/08/08
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Connectedness Index: 175
Brought to you by Acura TSX

"Innuendo"?
who's?
flyboy at 05:55 PM on 02/08/08
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@citrush2o:

yep inyourendo. nothing like it
Mandatory_Field at 06:55 PM on 02/08/08
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"The tiny Johnson system, when combined with a tiny generator strategically placed, can power a whole school with the energy produced by a single boy's highschool health class! Power output varies with teacher hotness."
ZekeSulastin at 08:53 PM on 02/08/08
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@Skeptical_Geezer: Muad'dib. Get it right ...
tkohrs2002 at 10:35 PM on 02/08/08
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@jkr: We are sanitary
iguide at 09:57 AM on 02/10/08
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then there will be the super soaker gun with human batteries included. Use your neighbors as extra batteries. If you live in a big neighbor hood you're set.
[www.i-guide.ro]
x23 at 04:05 PM on 02/10/08
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@iguide: or you could use pathetic link spammers as batteries. a true benefit to society.