dy to Wear
Wearable tech research boosts comfort , efficiency , and exciting new applications .
BY LIEZEL LABIOS , MS ' 10 , PHD ’ 12
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Building a Better Battery
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SWEAT POWER : If your wearable device is ever running out of power , don ’ t sweat it — or in this case , do . This stretchy skin patch could power wearables through a user ' s own body sweat . The patch contains an array of small biofuel cells equipped with enzymes that trigger reduction and oxidation reactions — a swapping of electrons between molecules that generates electricity . This device performs such reactions on the lactic acid of human sweat to generate current , while a supercapacitor stores the energy produced and releases it as needed . An early patch prototype can light up a small LED for as long as the user is sweating .
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STRETCHY BATTERIES : Hi-tech apparel may sound enticing , but being tethered to a battery pack doesn ’ t seem so ideal . So UC San Diego researchers have developed a flexible , stretchable battery that ’ s rechargeable and can even be printed directly onto garments or stick-on patches . Made from ingredients found in rubber and other common materials , prototypes of the battery have been seen to stretch twice in size in any direction without suffering damage . The batteries can power a small LED , and because they are screen-printed , they are relatively inexpensive to make ( about 50 cents each , compared to a relative rechargeable battery at $ 5 ). Researchers are working on bringing the battery to market via the UC San Diego spin-off company , Ateios , which has three alumni at the helm ( see Q & A next page ).
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