This new paper-based moisture-fueled generator might be the future of wearable's power source

The generator breaks down water molecules to create a charge which is then used to power other devices.

Wearable tech has seen significant growth in the last few years, especially in the healthcare sector. From diabetic sensors, to pulse monitors, they have come a long way.

However, power remains an issue for these devices. With not much space to accommodate the power source in such devices, the batteries die out quickly.

Scientists have been researching ways to create batteries with much longer life spans for a while now and it looks like the scientists at Binghamton University, New York, have succeeded now on a different path.

Interesting Engineering reported that, Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi, Assistant Professor Anwar Elhadad, and PhD student Yang “Lexi” Gao at the Binghamton University have developed a small paper-based generator that creates electricity by drawing moisture from the air, which they unveiled in a recently published paper in the journal Small.

“Wearable electronics will use energy-harvesting techniques in the future, but right now, the techniques are very irregular in time, random in location and inefficiently converted,” Choi told to IE. “I was interested in this topic because the moisture in our air is ubiquitous, and I realized that energy harvesting from moisture is very easy."

The generator uses bacteria to breakdown water molecules that it captures from the air around it. The breakdown creates positive and negative ions which are then imbalanced on the two sides of the device to create a charge. Adding a Janus paper layer that is hydrophobic on one side and hydrophilic on the other enhances moisture absorption by keeping all the water inside the device till it is processed.

Professor Choi sees the moist-electric generator as revolutionary for low-power sensors, drug delivery, or electrical stimulation. “By decreasing each unit and connecting more cells within a small footprint, we can improve the power density significantly. Also, because we use paper, we can try many other ideas, including origami techniques,” he told IE.

“I don’t want to wear something all day for four months,” he added. “I want to use it for a short time and then throw it away — so in that way, paper is the best.”