Exploring the power of edible batteries

Image Source: telegraph.co.uk

As wearable medical technologies like smart watches and fitness trackers continue to dominate the consumer tech market, researchers in the medical field are now adopting to the trend by creating edible devices that might soon power biodegradable electronic medical devices.

Spearheaded by two researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), the development of the sodium-based battery is said to be safe and non-toxic. Like a pill, the battery can be swallowed and utilized to power biomedical sensors or other biodegradable medical gadgets.

Image Source: electric-vehiclenews.com

Christopher Bettinger, the lead researcher, explains: “Instead of lithium and toxic electrolytes that work really well but aren’t biocompatible, we chose simple materials of biological origin.”

According to Bettinger, the batteries, which were made from pigments found in cuttlefish ink, uses the melanin of the source for the anode and manganese oxide as the cathode. Furthermore, all the materials in the battery break down into nontoxic components in the body, rendering them safe for any type of medical procedures.

Image Source: digitaltrends.com

Doing further research on the study, the group is now working on making the edible electronics as digestible as pills. Though this, doctors will be able to deliver sensitive protein drugs, which are ordinarily destroyed in the stomach. The project also promises more bearable therapies for arthritis patients in the future.

Get more updates on biomedical technology by visiting this Riyesh R. Menon blog.