Researchers Use Nanowires to Turn Blood Flow into Electricity

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology has announced a new breakthrough that could one day provide power to cell phones and other electronics devices by generating electricity from blood flow in the body. Researcher Zhong Lin Wang from the Georgia Institute of Technology have devised a method that allows the generation of energy by converting low-frequency vibrations from body movement, heartbeat, blood flow, and the wind into electricity. The discovery uses zinc oxide nanowires that generate electricity when subjected to mechanical stress. The nanowires about 1/5,000th of the diameter of a human hair and about 1/25th of the length of a human hair can be grown on materials like metals, ceramics, polymers, and clothing. Wang sees the technology being integrated into military clothing where electricity can be generated and used to power devices in the field such as radios and night vision goggles. The nanowires could also be used to power biosensors implanted under the skin.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students have also recently announced a new shock absorber that could be used in future hybrid or electric vehicles which is able to generate electricity from small bumps in the road while also making the vehicle drive smoother on the road.


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External Link: Nanogenerator Provides Continuous Electrical Power

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