In Binghampton, New York, researchers are have created paper-based, saliva-activated batteries that could help power medical tests and devices in remote or impoverished regions.
The researchers created the device using bacteria called exoelectrogens that transfer electrons from the cell to the electrode. The bacteria were freeze-dried and placed on a paper surface that was layered with other battery materials. Adding saliva or water would activate the bacteria and start up the battery.
The new batteries could also cut down on pollution. “There’s been a dramatic increase in electronic waste and this may be an excellent way to start reducing that,” study coauthor Seokheun Choi tells the Daily Mail.
The team has created a prototype that can power a calculator or an light-emitting diode. The findings were presented at the recent National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society.