Scientists recently developed a way to power an LED light bulb using body heat — a breakthrough that could eventually help run wearable devices and other energy-harvesting tech without traditional batteries.
A research team at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea created a thin, flexible thermoelectric film that can convert very small temperature differences — as little as about 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) between your body and the surrounding air — into electricity. To put it simply, the film generates this power as charged particles move from the warmer side to the cooler side.
A university release describes the new materials as functioning like "tiny generators," converting ambient heat into usable electrical energy. In testing, a set of films arranged in series produced enough power from body heat alone to light a small LED. According to the news release posted by Tech Xplore, the film represents a "70% improvement over previous materials." Long-term tests found the film maintained more than 95% of its performance after two months of continuous operation.
"Ionic [thermoelectric] materials have long lacked systematic design principles, which limited their full potential," the study's lead author Dong-Hu Kim said, per the university. "Our work provides fundamental strategies to unlock their high-performance capabilities."
Batteries may power much of our tech-reliant world — but they come with significant environmental costs. Mining the metals needed for battery production — such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel — damages ecosystems, pollutes waterways, and contributes to carbon pollution. And once batteries reach the end of their life, many end up in landfills, where they can leak toxic chemicals into soil and groundwater. Even recycling batteries requires energy-intensive processing. Reducing battery use could help lessen these impacts — all while also saving the electricity it takes to charge battery-reliant tech.
The researchers hope the thermoelectric film could pave the way for battery-free wearable devices and sensors — such as smart clothing, health monitors, or other "always on" gear powered by body warmth alone.
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"The newly developed materials are thin and flexible, allowing easy attachment to skin or curved surfaces," study lead Professor Sung-Yeon Jang said in the release. "They can power wearable devices like smartwatches without batteries and enable self-powered sensors operating in environments with minimal temperature gradients."
Not having to remember to charge your device is just one perk of this tech. Cutting back on battery use means less mining, less hazardous waste, and a smaller environmental footprint overall — a win for both technology and the planet.
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