Powering Medical Devices From Within: Scientists Turn Blood Sugar Into Electricity
Could our blood sugar be a source of electricity? According to scientists - yes! Researchers from ETH Zurich have managed to produce electricity from the human body by placing a fuel cell under the skin, effectively turning blood sugar into power.
By electricity production, scientists don't mean the ability to run home air conditioners. In the study that was published in Advanced Materials, scientists highlighted how excess blood sugar may be used to power medical devices in the body like insulin pumps and potentially pacemakers.
In a press release, the study's lead researcher Martin Fussenegger explained how most people consume more carbohydrates "than they need in everyday life." Owing to this, "excess metabolic energy [may be used] to produce electricity to power biomedical devices."
How does the device work?
To this end, the researchers developed a fuel cell made of copper-based nanoparticles. The electrode is covered in a non-woven fabric and coated with a substance called alginate that is made from algae.
This fuel cell, scientists say, can be implanted under the skin where the alginate can absorb bodily fluids while allowing glucose to enter the fuel cell. Once that is achieved, the fuel cell can be connected to a capsule that has artificial beta cells (man-made cells that produce insulin).
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The fuel cell is able to generate electricity by glucose as it is absorbed. This generated power then heads to the capsule with artificial beta cells, where insulin is produced and released into the blood, effectively getting a person's blood sugar back to a normal level.
As Fussenegger said, "the new system autonomously regulates insulin and blood glucose level and could be used to treat diabetes in the future."?
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Scientists think the human body could produce enough electricity to allow these tools to communicate with external devices like a smartphone - facilitating easy management of diseases like diabetes in the future. The fuel cell has been successfully tested in mice.
What do you think about this ingenious idea? Let us know in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.
