Gold tab attached to skin converts mechanical energy into power for wearables, self-powered electronics

Devices lack high-quality research into effectiveness in healthcare setting

New microbial fuel cell could be integrated into wearable electronics

The new textile electronic devices are based on low-cost, sustainable, and scalable inkjet printing of inks based on graphene and other two-dimensional materials

The modular generators could be inkjet printed on flexible substrates, including fabric, and manufactured using inexpensive roll-to-roll techniques

The biofuel cells generate 10 times more power per surface area than any existing wearable biofuel cells

As graphene's popularity grows as an advanced "wonder" material, the speed and quality at which it can be manufactured will be paramount

The new device generates small amounts of electricity when it is bent or pressed even at the extremely low frequencies characteristic of human motion

The technology could also enable a new class of devices that can be powered by harvesting energy from low-power sources, such as the body or the surrounding environment, researchers said

One potential application of the system includes producing capillary systems for artificial organs