The "drinking bird" has the potential to provide clean energy

According to a study, scientists in Hong Kong and China have used the "Dippy Bird" as a model for a clean-energy generator, potentially powering watches and phones.

Once a common sight in science classrooms teaching the fundamentals of thermodynamics, the top-hatted "drinking bird" has reappeared unexpectedly as the model for a novel clean-energy generator that may one day power a watch and phone.

According to a study published on Thursday in the journal Device, scientists in Hong Kong and China have utilized the well-known toy, also known as the "Dippy Bird," to construct an engine that can use the power of water evaporation to generate electricity.

The innovative technique generates electrical power by harnessing the energy generated by the bird's distinctive back-and-forth motion. The underlying mechanics are straightforward: The bird's head and body are represented by two glass bulbs joined by a long glass tube to form the toy. The structure holds the very volatile liquid methylene chloride.

A bird returns to its upright posture after dipping its beak in water, allowing it to evaporate and soothe its head. The pressure differential causes the volatile liquid from the lower bulb to rise, shifting the bird's center of gravity and causing it to tip its beak back into the water. 

According to the authors, the drinking bird generator can produce much more electricity than earlier tests that employed different techniques could. The group's next objective is to create a drinking bird using more effective evaporation energy.