California: Researchers have created a smartwatch-style health-monitoring gadget that doesn’t require power or batteries from external sources to operate.
The self-powered device, created by a team at the University of California Irvine, can monitor the wearer’s pulse and communicate with a nearby smartphone.
The energy supplied to this gadget can be generated by tapping the energy generators in its wristband. These generators provide power to the sensor circuitry and the LED display.
The near-field communication technology installed in it also enables the exchange of data and energy between the gadget and the connected smartphone.
A paper published in the journal Nano Energy about this technology was reported.
The paper explained how the gadget can monitor body temperature and blood pressure, among other health factors.
Rahim Esfandiar, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in Jamia, said that many important results have been achieved with this invention.
The gadget enables a futuristic, battery-less, wireless and on-demand anytime, anywhere health monitoring device, he said. It is made of low-cost flexible materials.
