Researchers in Singapore Develop Battery-Powered Smart Contact Lenses
A team of researchers in Singapore has made a breakthrough in the development of smart contact lenses by creating a micrometer-thin battery that can store energy from human tears. The battery, which relies on glucose and water to generate electricity, could potentially power smart contact lenses without the need for an external device.
Smart contact lenses have been limited by the size and weight of traditional batteries, which require a wire leading to an external power source. However, the new battery developed by the Singaporean researchers is constructed using biocompatible materials and features a glucose-based coating that can react with sodium and chloride ions found in tears to generate electricity.
In an experiment, the battery produced enough power to run a smart contact lens, providing a potential solution to the issue of bulky wireless charging. Although the battery can currently only be charged and discharged 200 times, the team is already working with contact lens companies to bring the technology to market.
This development could revolutionize the field of wearable technology, allowing users to receive turn-based directions, notifications, and other data directly through their contact lenses. The researchers’ findings were published in the journal Nano Energy.
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