Nanogenerators Convert Irregular Biomechanical Movement into Electricity

Researchers at Georgia Tech used a hamster wearing a nanogenerator-equipped jacket to show that irregular biomechanical movement can be used to generate electricity. Image courtesy of Zhong Lin Wang

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have demonstrated that nanogenerators can be used to harvest energy from irregular mechanical motion. The technology differs from that used by most electrical generators, which rely on regular mechanical motion to produce electricity. “This technology can convert any mechanical disturbance into electrical energy,” explains Zhong Lin Wang, a professor at the university.

The researchers used a hamster wearing a nanogenerator-equipped jacket to prove that the technology can generate enough energy to power electrical small devices. Using four nanogenerators, the researchers generated up to 0.5 nanoamps in the experiment. “We believe this is the first demonstration of using a live animal to produce current with nanogenerators,” Wang says. “This study shows that we really can harness human or animal motion to generate current.” Wang anticipates that the modules eventually could be used to power implantable devices. Potential energy sources include muscle movement or the pulsing of blood vessels. Wang envisions that the technology could be used to power nanodevices to measure blood pressure or other vital signs.

More information on the research is available from Georgia Tech Research News.

On 31 March, Wang will discuss the nanogenerator technology in a free webcast sponsored by our sister publication, Medical Product Manufacturing News.

Tags: Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, nanogenerator, Zhong Lin Wang