Skin Patch Generator Harvests Energy from Muscle Movements

Jan-31-15 Researchers have developed a skin-worn, friction-powered generator that harvests static electricity from the user's normal movements to power small devices.

The device, created by a team from the National University of Singapore, takes advantage of the fact the when certain surfaces are brought into close contact, an electrical charge is built up. That charge can then be harvested by flexing or pulling the surfaces apart and collecting the charge with an electrode.

With the intention of using skin surface as the positive surface layer, the team then made the negative layer out of a silicon rubber sheet lined with thousands of tiny 'pillars' on one side and gold film on the other to act as the electrode. When the tiny patch was attached to volunteers' throats and forearms, their muscle movements generated enough electricity to power 12 LEDs.

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[DISCOVERY.COM]
[SPECTRUM.IEEE.ORG]

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