Medical device powered by the human body

Week in Brief (8–12 May)

Credit: Islam Mosa/University of Connecticut and Maher El-Kady/UCLA.

A team of researchers from UCLA and the University of Connecticut, USA, has designed a biological supercapacitor, which can operate using ions from fluids in the human body, such as blood serum. 

The graphene supercapacitor would work alongside another device, which converts the body’s heat and motion into electricity, called an energy harvester.

The design is described in Ultrathin graphene–protein supercapacitors for miniaturized bioelectronics, and could lead to the development of long-lasting implantable medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers. Currently batteries in implantable devices have to be replaced when they run out, and pose a risk if they leak as they contain toxic materials.

Islam Mosa, first author of the study, commented, ‘Unlike batteries that use chemical reactions that involve toxic chemicals and electrolytes to store energy, this new class of bio-supercapacitors stores energy by utilizing readily available ions, or charged molecules, from the blood serum.’