Implanted nanogenerators powered by human movement

Filed in archive Energy on April 19, 2006

A new class of devices aims to convert energy created from body movement to power future nanoscale components, according to Foxnews.com.
These so-called "nanogenerators" would be less bulky than traditional energy sources such as batteries.

Zhong Lin Wang of Georgia Tech and graduate student Jinhui Song have created a prototype nanogenerator that produces electrical current through the bending and relaxing of zinc oxide nanowires.

When the nanowires flex, they emit a piezoelectric discharge, which is electricity generated by certain materials under mechanical stress.
Because zinc oxide is non-toxic, the new nanogenerator could be implanted safely into the body.

"Our bodies are good at converting chemical energy from glucose into the mechanical energy of our muscles," Wang said. "These nanogenerators can take that mechanical energy and convert it to electrical energy for powering devices inside the body."

The device is detailed in the March 14 issue of the journal Science. (photo Georgia Tech)