How sweat could power tomorrow's wearable devices

One day, sweat could power a future generation of wearable devices, although for now, the technology is still being tested at lab level. — AFP Relaxnews

Researchers are developing textiles that can convert sweat into energy and thus power small wearable devices, such as smartwatches or fitness trackers.

Engineers from the Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) unit at the University of Glasgow in Scotland are working on a new type of flexible supercapacitor, capable of storing energy by harnessing human sweat. The idea would be to power wearables with the sweat of their wearers. With the equivalent of only 20 microliters (or 20 thousandths of a millilitre) of liquid, it would be possible to power a small connected device. As such, a runner or a trekking enthusiast could be rewarded for their efforts by naturally recharging their smartwatch or fitness tracker.