It’s a cruel irony of our hi-tech life that smartphones allow us to stay connected with the rest of the world 99% of the time, but during that 1%, when we really need that digital lifeline (like during storms or power outages), we become victims of that little flashing battery icon. How do you charge a phone when there’s no power? You use science.

A few years back, our smartphone became a pretty paperweight after a hurricane took away our electricity for two weeks, plunging our entire area back into the dark ages that existed before cool things like Wi-fi, smartphones, and the Internet had been invented, and something like the Thermodynamic Cell Phone Charger would’ve been seen as a gift from the gods. After near 24/7 contact with friends and family for so long, it was disconcerting to be completely cut off from everybody.

However, with this handy little device, you can insure that your phone will never let you down because of a low battery, whether you’re out in the woods camping or stuck in a city that finds itself without power after facing Mother Nature’s wrath.

Using the laws of thermoelectricity, the pot becomes a generator, converting heat into electricity. The heat source can be the included propane-powered heating element, a camp stove, or even a wood fire, with tests showing that four hours of heat can fully restore a dead cell phone to 100% power.

This low-tech way to stay connected to the hi-tech world costs $199.95, and we think that’s a pittance for the luxury/necessity of keeping our phones on.