Toddler Sucks On USB Cable, Is Now In Hospital

[Pedersen]

http://gizmodo.com/5443231/toddler-s...n-the-hospital

As the title says. Parents keep those cables from your kids!

[Evil Queen]

"USB cables belong plugged into peripherals, not children"

God, how morbid!

[Broomjockey]

God, how morbid!

Not... really. Morbid would be "I guess this rules out USB-powered children." That quote more a twist on old catchphrases. "Remember, X belongs in Y, not Z."

This is a pretty tragic story, and I hope it turns out there's no permanent damage.

[Pedersen]

"USB cables belong plugged into peripherals, not children"

That reminded me of this video. Sorry, but it did.

This is a pretty tragic story, and I hope it turns out there's no permanent damage.

Yeah, it really is. Makes me think I need to double-check my USB cables at home to make sure my dogs can't get at them.

I really do hope the kid comes out alright, though. She doesn't deserve that sort of hurt.

[HYHYBT]

I agree with the comments on the other site. Fishy at best.

[drunkenwildmage]

So are Toddlers USB 2.0 these days?

[Evil Queen]

That reminded me of this video. Sorry, but it did.

Haha! The front door could use a networked printer!

[tropicsgoddess]

Ouch...><. Glad she's okay.

[Rine]

This scares me. I hope that baby will be all right.

My seven month old niece is becoming mobile and everything she finds goes directly into her mouth. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something like this happened to her.

[Javarod]

Ouch, but i can't say i'm surprised, it may only be 5V, but what's the amps? Plus what's the overload point? The child effectively shorted a line that's designed to support up to... 127 devices, albeit that would require boosting, but still, i suspect its capable of quite a bit more than you expect.

[Aethian]

When one of my cousins were that small my uncle ran all of the cords through a piece of pcp pipe. Kept the cords neat, out of feet reach, and harder for the little one to get at.

[Broomjockey]

Ouch, but i can't say i'm surprised, it may only be 5V, but what's the amps?

I was told 500mA in a conversation not long ago. And since it was in her mouth, her resistance would have been negligible.

[dalesys]

I was told 500mA in a conversation not long ago. And since it was in her mouth, her resistance would have been negligible.

The stated damage (third degree burns = charred tissue) could not possibly be from the USB power. There was also stated to be floor lamp with a metal pole nearby, and burns on her hands.

I can see two scenarios:
(1) Miswire/Ground modification/Insulation failure/ in either the floor lamp or the laptop power supply. The injury is consistent with the 120VAC line voltage from one device (the faulty/failed/damaged one) connecting through the child to the other device's ground (earth).

(2) Abuse coverup.

Voltage is how much electrical "pressure" there is.
The 500mA is how much flow (like liters/gallons per second) that the source can put out and still maintain the rated "pressure", so a 5V source will put 500mA into a 10 ohm resistance, 50mA into a 100 ohm, 5mA into 1,000 ohm.
I just did a mouth resistance measurement: approximately 1,000 ohms >>> 5mA @ 5V >>> no damage.

The nominal level of 100mA = frequently lethal (30-70%) is based on a 60Hz AC current with a pathway of left hand to right foot.

I remember a tidbit from installing ECG machines: 10 microamps, directly applied through certain areas of the heart is lethal.

Electric fences, doggie shock collars, Tasers (except for Evil Homer Homebuilts), while they have high (no load) voltage are current limited, which is why my buddy who pissed on an electric fence is still walking. (subway/tram third rails are not current limited, and so a couple of fools get fried every year.