Wearable and implantable devices are currently used for a variety of functions, including health tracking and monitoring. However, supplying energy usually requires cumbersome batteries and downtime due to recharging. Now, an international team of researchers suggests that advances in materials and electronic design may be able to convert biomechanical energy into electric energy, paving the way for devices that can be worn and implanted but do not require constant recharging
The researchers said that stretchable piezoelectric materials—which are solid substances that can accumulate electrical charges—are critical to this development. Because human tissues are soft and constantly changing shape, the materials need to be able to flex and stretch as these tissues flex and move.
The team is also eyeing creating sensors that can perform double duty—they can harvest energy from the very bodily processes they have been designed to monitor. For example, a sensor could harvest energy from heartbeats and also transfer the information on the heart to doctors who are monitoring a patient's cardiovascular condition.
reference
Honglei Zhou et al. Stretchable piezoelectric energy harvesters and self-powered sensors for wearable and implantable devices, Biosensors and Bioelectronics (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112569