The dream of battery-free devices has taken an unlikely turn, as Carnegie Mellon researchers debuted Power-Over-Skin. The technology allows for electrical currents to travel through human skin in a bid to power things like blood sugar monitors, pacemakers, and even consumer wearables like smartglasses fitness trackers.
Researchers note the tech is still in “early stages.” At the moment, they’ve showcased the tech supporting low-power electronics like the LED earring pictured above.
“It’s similar to how a radio uses the air as the medium between the transmitter station and your car stereo,” notes CMU researcher Andy Kong. “We’re just using body tissue as the transmitting medium in this case.”
