We have the power: researchers find novel way to keep wearable devices fully charged

Generating our own power could be the answer to dead smartwatches during a run or hike.

Researchers at Surrey's Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) have been working on a new nanotechnology that would be as effective as solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity.

The university’s nanogenerators can convert mechanical energy, such as motion, into electrical power.

As the research team's example shows, a “traditional” nanogenerator can produce 10 milliwatts of power. The new technology could increase this to more than 1000 milliwatts, meaning that this energy could be used to charge everyday tech devices.

“The dream of nanogenerators is to capture and use energy from everyday movements, like your morning run, mechanical vibrations, ocean waves, or opening a door. The key innovation with our nanogenerator is that we've fine-tuned the technology with 34 tiny energy collectors using a laser technique that can be scaled up for manufacture to increase energy efficiency further,” explained one of the authors of the research, Md. Delowar Hussain.

He also shared that in the future, this nanotechnology could compete with solar panels and be one of the power sources for smart house systems.

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a device that can take energy from any movement and turn it into electricity.

Dr. Bhaskar Dudem, co-author of the research, shared that this technology could help them to create “self-powered, non-invasive healthcare sensors” and “drive new spin-out activities in sustainable health tech, improve sensitivity, and emphasize industrial scalability.”

Professor Ravi Silva, Director at ATI and the research co-author, hopes that nanogenerators could serve as “a convenient wireless technology that harnesses energy from any mechanical movements to power small devices.”