Twitch streamer UWOSLAB conducted a crazy experiment. To power a handheld console without batteries, he powered the device using the energy of a chili dish.
Small handheld consoles with an LCD screen don’t require much power. As a rule, just a few batteries provide enough voltage to be able to use such devices.
A streamer has now shown in a live experiment on Twitch that you can also supply a handheld with a Sonic game with enough energy using another method.
To do this, he used several cups with a chili dish as an electrochemical energy source and connected them to the mobile game console so that he could play the Sonic title installed on it.
However, the electricity generated would probably not be enough for a special gaming console that a single inventor developed himself.
After 10 years, a 2D Sonic is finally coming again! Looks really good, brings back a fan favorite
More videos
Autoplay
Handheld console is powered by Chili
What did the streamer do? DIY hobbyist UWOSLAB, who describes himself as a “mad scientist,” conducted a curious scientific experiment on his Twitch channel.
His experiment was about powering a handheld game console without conventional batteries. For this purpose, he prepared a chili dish that generated enough electricity to power the handheld with the game “Sonic The Hedgehog 3” on it.
On X, UWOSLAB shows the experiment summarized in a short video.
How did he go about it? First, the streamer removed the two AA batteries, each with a voltage of 1.5 volts, from the console. He then tested the device with a loosely wired 3V button cell.
He then set about preparing the chili and pouring it into a mug. Luckily, the amateur chef didn’t need the help of an immoral AI to create the recipe.
To connect the chili dish to the handheld console, he made several electrodes out of a copper tube and a zinc rail. The hobbyist then wired the console to the electrodes in the chili vinegar mixture, which he had now divided into several cups.
Why does this work? Using a digital multimeter, UWOSLAB checked the electricity generated to operate the mobile console. To create enough excitement, he needed a total of 8 cups of chili preparation.
When asked how the experiment could be scientifically explained, UWOSLAB gave the following answer on X:
A basic voltaic cell is a copper and zinc electrode in a salt and vinegar mixture. The chili is both salty and sour, which means we can use it like a voltaic cell.
UWOSLAB via X
For a better understanding: “A voltaic cell is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.” You can find a detailed explanation on the polaridad.es website.
Without Nintendo as a manufacturer of video games and game consoles, the Twitch scientist might not have been able to carry out his crazy experiment. The Japanese company developed the first handheld console in video game history: We owe Nintendo’s handheld game consoles to a boring train ride with a calculator