German researchers are working on development of a new type of power cell that could effectively eliminate the need to recharge PDAs in the future. The new cells are a modified version of the hydrogen cells used to power electric cars.

The developers from the Fraunhofer Institute have paired a miniature hydrogen fuel cell with an ultra-efficient solar panel that will provide the necessary recharging power for the hydrogen cell.

The joint combination of those two components was previously unfeasible due to the large size of many of the cells, and the high cost of manufacturing smaller, more efficient cells. The researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a new production method involving a laser. Their method saves eliminates many costly production steps, and makes the cells affordable enough for use in a PDAs.

The researchers are ready to demonstrate a Casio handheld with an high-performance solar cell embedded into the cover. The key, according to the researchers, is the ability to run the device on solar power alone - even in the relatively low light of a typical office.