AAA Dry Battery!Researchers develop tiny biobattery to power disposable items online

In the future, small paper and plastic devices will be able to connect to the internet for a short duration, providing information on everything from healthcare to consumer products, before they are thrown away. Researchers have developed a micro biobatte

Author: Binghamton University

In the future, small paper and plastic devices will be able to connect to the internet for a short time, providing information on everything from health care to consumer goods before being thrown away. Researchers at SUNY Binghamton University have developed a tiny biobattery that can power these disposable sensors.

The Internet of Disposables is a phenomenon in which wireless sensors are connected to almost any type of device to provide up-to-date information over the Internet. For example, a sensor could be installed on food packaging to monitor the freshness inside the food.

"Internet of Disposable Objects (IODT) is a rapidly evolving new paradigm in wireless sensor networks," said Seokheun Choi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Binghamton University. "This novel technology focuses on a small, compact, disposable package. medium, low price, simple connectivity, only operates for one programming cycle, and then is easily discarded."

Previous small-size microbial fuel cells suffered from low power density and energy-intensive fluid supply operations, so he believes that a low-power, disposable, solid-state battery-type microbial fuel cell platform without a fluid system will be more applicable and possible.

"Previously, my group had two directions: 1) disposable paper-based biobatteries for disposable low-power systems such as biosensors, and 2) long-term microbial fuel cells for sustainable applications," Choi said. The biobattery we developed this time is a combination of these two technologies; using solid-state compartments can significantly improve power duration, but the device is a form of battery without the complex energy-intensive fluid supply required by typical microbial fuel cells. system. "

Choi added: "Most of the current IoDTs are powered by expensive and environmentally harmful batteries, which will eventually lead to a significant increase in the cost of mass production and environmental pollution problems. Our bio-battery is low-cost, disposable and environmentally friendly."

Choi is integrating biobatteries in series with DC-DC converters.