LED Lamp Could Be Powered By Your Tears

 Japanese company is coming out with an LED lantern that runs on saltwater.

With the catchy name "GH-LED10WBW," this portable light runs with as little as 350 milliliters of saline -- roughly a cup and a half, according to Tech-On writers Masaru Yoshida and Nikkei Monozukuri. OK, granted, that's an insane amount of crying, but a few drips could keep the light on slightly longer.

The light works because saltwater acts like an electrolyte between magnesium and carbon rods inside the device, producing electricity, Gizmodo's Andrew Liszewski explained. The salty setup will be good for eight hours before requiring more saline. It could also hook into a USB cable and power small devices.

The lantern will be released mid-month by the Japanese company Green House Co., Ltd., an IT manufacturer that usually produces peripherals like memory cards and cables. This new LED lantern fits with the company's green focus on reducing air pollution, waste, wastewater and lessening their products' potential impacts on environment.

Much though I enjoy the thought of contact lens rinse doing double-duty in the mountains, the lamp still requires some water mixed with a set amount of salt in a separate bag. The magnesium rod also needs replacing after up to 120 hours. At that rate, a rechargeable battery might just be easier. Saltwater and electronics don't always play well together, either.

This lantern strikes me as more of a novelty. If things really get desperate out on the trail, my keychain has a powerful little LED that still works after all these years.