A team of scientists at the University of California, San Diego has developed a strip that could help charge smartphones and watches using the energy generated by the human body. Researchers who took part in this study claim that wearing this strip, even during sleep for ten hours could help charge electronic devices which could run a watch for 24 hours.
Charge devices even during sleep
Most wearable power-producing charging strips available now in the market need users to perform intense exercise or depend on external sources such as sunlight or large changes in temperature to charge devices. However, the new device developed by researchers allows people to charge smartphones and watches even while the user is sleeping.
The new invention is considered revolutionary, and researchers have called it the ''holy grail'' of energy harvesting. The device wraps around the finger like a sticky plaster when the user presses it down or starts to sweat.
"Unlike other sweat-powered wearables, this one requires no exercise, no physical input from the wearer in order to be useful. This work is a step forward to making wearables more practical, convenient, and accessible for the everyday person," said Lu Yin, a doctoral student, and co-author of the study in a statement.
Fingertips to generate power for charging strips
Yin also talked about the vitality of using fingertips to generate power for these charging strips. This device is equipped with electrical conductors made from carbon foam that could absorb human sweat. Enzymes on these electrodes trigger a chemical reaction between sweat molecules - lactate and oxygen, which will finally result in the generation of electricity.
"The reason we feel sweatier on other parts of the body is because those spots are not well ventilated. By contrast, the fingertips are always exposed to air, so the sweat evaporates as it comes out. So rather than letting it evaporate, we use our device to collect this sweat, and it can generate a significant amount of energy," added Yin.
