Marine ink to power medical devices?

Ink from a marine animal that is closely related to the squid could be used as a potential power source for a new era of biodegradable medical devices and smart pills.

Chris Bettinger and a team of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh found that pigment in the ink of a cuttlefish has the exact chemical signature needed to function as an anode in a fuel source that is completely biodegradable.

This could be a significant breakthrough in the medical devices industry as conventional batteries sometimes contain toxic chemicals which limits their flexibility and lifespan.

Scientists believe the technology could lead to a future in which swallowable or implantable electronics could monitor medication compliance or vitals from inside the body. 

The team's work has been detailed in a paper featured in the online version of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Currently, its performance is not on par with lithium-ion batteries, but the team will continue to improve the power output and storage capacity.