Sweat can power next gen of wearable tech

[razaldo]

Apparently some engineers from Univ. of California have developed fuel cells that extract energy from sweat.

Quote

Engineers from the University of California, San Diego in the US developed a stretchable electronic foundation by using lithography and screen-printing to make 3D carbon nanotube-based cathode and anode arrays.

The biofuel cells are equipped with an enzyme that oxidises the lactic acid present in human sweat to generate current.

 

What is interesting is how they are getting it to work by making the cell flexible.

Quote

To be compatible with wearable devices, the biofuel cell needs to be flexible and stretchable. So engineers decided to use what they call a "bridge and island".

Essentially, the cell is made up of rows of dots that are each connected by spring-shaped structures. Half of the dots make up the cell's anode or electrode through which conventional current flows; the other half are the cathode.

The spring-like structures can stretch and bend, making the cell flexible without deforming the anode and cathode.

The basis for the islands and bridges structure was manufactured via lithography and is made of gold.

Researchers used screen printing to deposit layers of biofuel materials on top of the anode and cathode dots. To increase power density, engineers screen printed a 3D carbon nanotube structure on top the anodes and cathodes.

The structure allows engineers to load each anodic dot with more of the enzyme that reacts to lactic acid and silver oxide at the cathode dots. In addition, the tubes allow easier electron transfer, which improves biofuel cell performance.

 

So the next step would be for fitness trackers to include an estimate of how much electricity you generated?

 

Jokes apart, this could help in creating devices for passively charging our phones when working out.

[sazrocks]

Reminds me of this: 

 

[Senzelian]

Can't wait for the first kickfarted products that will promise us endless battery life.

[RadiatingLight]

1 minute ago, Senzelian said:

Can't wait for the first kickfarted products that will promise us endless battery life.

 

14 minutes ago, sazrocks said:

Reminds me of this: 

 

 

[Senzelian]

Just now, RadiatingLight said:

[...]

Yup, I've seen the video.

[captain_to_fire]

18 minutes ago, razaldo said:

Apparently some engineers from Univ. of California have developed fuel cells that extract energy from sweat.

 

What is interesting is how they are getting it to work by making the cell flexible.

 

So the next step would be for fitness trackers to include an estimate of how much electricity you generated?

 

Jokes apart, this could help in creating devices for passively charging our phones when working out.

How many times is this? Other than that, Luke has a new kickfarted episode coming. 

 

If that was adding graphene to current Li-ion batteries for higher capacities and faster charging then I'm sold. 

[razaldo]

3 hours ago, sazrocks said:

Reminds me of this: 

 

I just finished watching this - to be fair the two technologies are slightly different. The battery bank looked like it was geared more towards people that jacked off while watching their mobile - the only way to recharge the power bank

 

In the case of the bio fuels - the cells get activated when they are in contact with sweat. Also, it is allegedly an original implementation compared to the battery bank that was just reapplying the end use of existing technology.

 

While it might not be enough to recharge your phone (even the researchers just claim that it would be about enough to power up some LEDs and wearable tech), this could have some sort of application in the future - think about RGB lighting on your jogging tracks / basketball shorts / weight lifting jock etc....

[Misanthrope]

So...wereables for your junk? 

[razaldo]

1 minute ago, Misanthrope said:

So...wereables for your junk? 

 

Exactly

 

It would relay live data regarding the 'power' you can 'generate'

[MeDownYou]

5 hours ago, VegetableStu said:

great, my friends can go from "gosh you sweat a lot FUCK DUDE DON'T SQUEEZE YOUR SHIRT" to "dude charge my phone"

And mine can go...wtf your phone is dead already mines been charging this whole time