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The Future of Vision: Scientists Develop Flexible Cornea-Thin Battery Charged by Saline Solution

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Summary

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed a flexible battery that is as thin as a human cornea and charges itself when submerged in a saline solution. This battery has potential to power future smart contact lenses which could help correct vision, monitor health, flag and treat diseases, and record and transmit everything a wearer sees and hears. The team has filed for a patent and are working towards commercializing their invention. The battery can generate a current of 45 microamperes and a maximum power of 201 microwatts, and can be charged and discharged up to 200 times. The team will be conducting further research to improve the amount of electrical current their battery can discharge and are working with contact lens companies to implement their technology.

Q&As

What is the new battery developed at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore?
The new battery developed at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore is a flexible battery that is as thin as a human cornea.

What are the potential applications of smart contact lenses?
The potential applications of smart contact lenses include helping to correct vision, monitoring wearers’ health, and flagging and treating diseases for people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes and glaucoma. In the future, smart contact lenses could be developed to record and transmit everything a wearer sees and hears to cloud-based data storage.

How does the new battery charge itself?
The battery charges itself when submerged in a saline solution. It has a glucose-based coating that reacts with the sodium and chloride ions in the saline solution surrounding it, while the water the battery contains serves as the ‘wire’ or ‘circuitry’ for electricity to be generated. The battery could also be powered by human tears as they contain sodium and potassium ions, at a lower concentration.

What are the benefits of the new battery compared to existing rechargeable batteries?
The benefits of the new battery compared to existing rechargeable batteries are that it does not contain wires or toxic heavy metals, it is made of biocompatible materials, and it is safe to humans and would be less harmful to the environment when disposed of.

What further research is the NTU team conducting to improve the battery?
The NTU team is conducting further research to improve the amount of electrical current their battery can discharge. They are also working with several contact lens companies to implement their technology.

AI Comments

👍 This innovative battery technology developed by Nanyang Technological University has the potential to revolutionize the smart contact lens industry, offering a safe and suitable power source that is non-toxic and biocompatible.

👎 Although this battery technology is an impressive feat of engineering, it could be improved to offer more electrical current and a longer charging cycle.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the development of a flexible battery that's as thin as a human cornea. It charges itself when submerged in a saline solution, and it could be used to power smart contact lenses in the future.

Friend: Wow, that's amazing! What are the implications of this technology?

Me: Well, this technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we use contact lenses. It could help people with vision problems, monitor health, and help treat diseases like diabetes and glaucoma. In the future, it could be used to record and transmit what a wearer sees and hears to cloud-based data storage. It could also reduce the need for metal and toxic heavy metals, like those in lithium-ion batteries, and help make contact lenses more comfortable and safer to use. Additionally, the battery can be charged conventionally by an external power supply.

Action items

Research other potential applications for the flexible battery technology developed by NTU Singapore.
Reach out to contact lens companies to explore potential collaborations for implementing the battery technology.
Investigate ways to improve the amount of electrical current the battery can discharge.

Technical terms

Cornea: The transparent outer layer of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber.
Battery Technology: The science and technology of designing, manufacturing, and using batteries.
Energy: The capacity to do work or cause change.
Nanyang Technological University: A research-intensive public university in Singapore.
Smart Contact Lenses: High-tech contact lenses capable of displaying visible information on our corneas and can be used to access augmented reality.
Lithium-Ion Batteries: A type of rechargeable battery in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging.
Wireless Charging: A method of charging a device without the need for a physical connection.
Glucose: A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.
Enzymatic Reaction: A chemical reaction catalyzed by an enzyme.
Self-Reduction Reaction: A reaction in which a molecule is reduced without the addition of an external reducing agent.
Biofuel Cell: A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy using a biological catalyst.
Reduction: A chemical reaction in which electrons are added to a molecule.
Simulated Human Eye: A model of the human eye used for testing and research.
Basal Tears: The constant tears that create a thin film over our eyeballs.
Supercapacitors: A type of capacitor that can store large amounts of energy.