In the future, pacemakers and other medical implant may not need batteries. They will be powered by the human body.

That's the hope of a team of researchers from UCLA and the University of Connecticut, who recently unveiled a so-called biological supercapacitor capable of turning the body's ions into storable energy.

Currently, the battery in a device like a pacemaker must be eventually replaced, which requires another surgery and the accompanying risks. The supercapacitor charges using ions, charged particles, in bodily fluids like urine or blood serum.

The device can be coupled with an energy harvester, which turns the body's kinetic energy into electricity. The supercapacitor is made of graphene and a layer of modified human proteins, which serves as an electrode through which electricity can enter and exit.

"Combining energy harvesters with supercapacitors can provide endless power for lifelong implantable devices that may never need to be replaced," Maher El-Kady, a UCLA postdoctoral researcher, said in a news release.

The supercapacitor has a width of just a single micrometer, which makes it efficient and allows the device to move around within the body without causing damage.

"Unlike batteries that use chemical reactions that involve toxic chemicals and electrolytes to store energy, this new class of biosupercapacitors stores energy by utilizing readily available ions, or charged molecules, from the blood serum," said Islam Mosa, a grad student at Connecticut.

Researchers detailed the promise of their supercapacitor in the journal Advanced Energy Materials.

Tweet

Can the motion of checking your smartwatch charge it?
Washington DC (SPX) May 11, 2017
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are small devices that convert movement into electricity, and might just be what bring us into an era of energy-harvesting clothes and implants. But could TENGs, even theoretically, give us wearable electronics powered solely by the wearer's day-to-day body motion? The short answer is yes. New research from Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT ... read more

Related Links
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only