New tech ‘can harvest body heat to power wearable electronics’

Future wearable electronic devices could be powered by new technology that harnesses the heat generated by the body as a source of power.

Developed by North Carolina State University, the new thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems generate electricity by making use of the temperature differential between the body and the ambient air.

They consist of a layer of thermally conductive material that rests on the skin and spreads out the heat, topped with a polymer layer that forces the heat to pass through a centrally-located generator. The entire system is only 2 mm thick and highly flexible.

Although upper armbands were shown to be the ideal way of harnessing this technology, TEG-equipped T-shirts were also shown to be a viable way of powering wearable devices.

Previous iterations of the TEG principle were limited by their reliance on heavy, stiff and bulky heat sinks, or due to the fact they were able to generate only one microwatt of power per sq cm or less.

Daryoosh Vashaee, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at North Carolina State University, said: "Our technology generates up to 20 microwatts per sq cm and doesn't use a heat sink, making it lighter and much more comfortable."

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