Who wants an exterior battery when you’ve got good old school feelings?
Scientists based mostly out of Nanyang Technological College, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have begun engaged on augmented actuality (AR) contact lenses able to displaying digital data in the true world.
However right here’s the actually fascinating half: in line with an official launch from the college, these high-tech contacts are powered by human tears.
The group has begun growth of a versatile battery roughly as skinny because the human cornea. This ultra-slim battery is able to storing electrical energy when involved with a saline supply, which might be present in tears. Based on researchers, this answer can lengthen battery life as much as 4 hours for each 12-hour cycle. The contacts will also be charged utilizing an exterior battery.
The battery itself is product of biocompatible supplies. No wires or “poisonous materials” have been used within the growth, promising a extra snug expertise in comparison with another good contacts.
“The most typical battery charging system for good contact lenses requires metallic electrodes within the lens, that are dangerous if they’re uncovered to the bare human eye,” mentioned Co-first creator Dr. Yun Jeonghun, a analysis fellow from NTU’s EEE, within the official launch.
“In the meantime, one other mode of powering lenses, induction charging, requires a coil to be within the lens to transmit energy, very like wi-fi charging pad for a smartphone. Our tear-based battery eliminates the 2 potential issues that these two strategies pose, whereas additionally liberating up house for additional innovation within the growth good contact lenses.”
Based on the college, the group has already filed a patent by way of NTUitive and intends to commercialize the good contacts sooner or later sooner or later.
For extra data try the official launch from the college. You can even learn the analysis paper “A tear-based battery charged by biofuel for good contact lenses” right here.
Function Picture Credit score: NTU Singapore
