A new type of portable device converts the touch of a finger into a power source for small electronics and sensors.
Engineers at the University of California at San Diego have developed a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on the fingertip and that generates small amounts of energy when a person’s finger sweats or presses against it.
According to the researchers who participated in this study, wearing this strip for ten hours while you sleep could help charge electronic devices that can power a watch for 24 hours.
To charge devices, most portable power generating charging strips on the market today require users to do strenuous exercise or rely on external sources such as sunshine or large temperature fluctuations.
Researchers invented a new technology that allows users to charge their phones and watches while they sleep.
“Unlike other sweat-driven wearables, this one doesn’t require movement or physical exertion on the part of the wearer to be useful. This work is a step forward to make wearables more practical, convenient and accessible for everyday people, ”said Lu Yin, PhD student and co-author of the study in a statement.
(With contributions from agencies)
