Sweat-Powered Electronics

The current edge in wearable technology is in pairing flexible circuits with microbatteries. This piece describes research at the University of California-San Diego: a lactate sensor engineered into a temporary tattoo, with a microbattery to capture electrons on enzyme strips from lactate in sweat during exercise. So far, the battery only produces microwatts of power, but a simple sensor for lactate is useful for monitoring heart and lung conditions in ailing patients.   MORE WITH VIDEO

Image Credit: University of California-San Diego