A surgery can be very stressful to the patient. Sometimes, medical conditions require us to implant electronics into the body to replace crucial functions, most famously pacemakers. Just the thought of having your body opened up is unbearable for many. But for others, it is a reality they have no choice but to face in order to get or stay healthy. Implantable electronics run on batteries, and you must replace them over time, which implies new surgeries. New research suggests these repeated surgeries can be avoided by implementing a naturally powered battery by what’s already in the body.
Over 92% of the world's population suffer from Tomophobia – That's the fear of medical procedure. This means that surgery is one of the most dreaded medical procedure for most people. Getting ready for the surgery can help alleviate the fear. Below are a few things you should… pic.twitter.com/OJwIIjRRp7
— Kachwanya (@kachwanya) August 7, 2023
Naturally powered battery by you?
As the research suggests, the human body is already full of potential power sources, some of which are sweat, enzymes, glucose, and oxygen. The particular source they chose to experiment with was a Na-O2 battery. Of course, it is implanted directly into the organism and powered by itself. This could, in theory, solve the need for battery-changing surgeries. However, without going into detail, it also came with its design challenges, which were explored in detail in the full paper.
https://twitter.com/ChinaEUMission/status/1774832891018502188
Once the prototype was complete, researchers tested it on rats, as usual in this kind of experiment. This longitudinal study showed how the rats lived with a naturally powered battery and provided valuable insights regarding how to improve the design.
Read more: BeFC Creates Biofuel Cells as an Ecological, Organic Battery
It also proved that naturally powered implants aren’t just a futuristic dream. The paper states that the rats showed no signs of infections, and after discharge, there were negligible effects on their psychological indices.
Humans of tomorrow
Exploring how to power these implants naturally may sound to some like something too distant from us. But there is a need even now. Implantable electronics are not going to decrease. Instead, we are likely to invent more and more implantable devices to extend lifespans. Coupled with the many prosthetic and mind-controlled limbs we already have, it feels just like the old trope of future humans becoming cyborgs. This research is just a first step in that direction.
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been taken by Cottonbro Studio
Source: Cell.com
