Skin patch that could charge mobiles using sweat developed
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego have developed a skin patch that could charge mobile devices from users' sweat. The biofuel patch has already been used to power a radio for two days using human sweat. The flexible square patch sticks to the skin and contains enzymes to replace metals normally used in batteries.
Los Angeles, Jun 23 (PTI) Scientists have created a skin patch that can power a radio for two days using human sweat, and may eventually be used to charge mobile devices while people are out for a run. The bio fuel patch may also provide a way to monitor glucose levels in people with diabetes, without needles and blood samples, researchers said. The skin patch developed by researchers from University of California, San Diego in the US is a flexible square just a couple of centimetres across and sticks to the skin. It contains enzymes that replace the precious metals normally used in batteries and uses sweat to provide power. Getting enough power out of a bio fuel cell to make it useful has proved tricky, but the latest version can extract 10 times more than before, researchers said. "We are now getting really impressive power levels. If you were out for a run, you would be able to power a mobile device," said Joseph Wang from the University of California, San Diego. Researchers used the lactate found in sweat to power their particular bio fuel cell, News Scientist reported. 