Chinese scientists have created a special wireless charger under the skin that they hope can help power future biodegradable drug delivery systems.
According to BGR, mentioned in an article published in the journal Science Advances Prototype, this subcutaneous wireless charger offers the ability to be both biodegradable and flexible. The article said that although scientists have previously come up with biodegradable energy delivery devices, they cannot produce the energy needed for biomedical applications.
That’s why researchers are working to create a new device that is both biodegradable and able to generate adequate electricity. Non-biodegradable solutions often require additional surgery to replace or recharge the battery. By making the entire device strong enough to power medical devices, while also being biodegradable, they won’t need to rely on additional surgeries to remove the device.
The subcutaneous wireless charger that Chinese scientists developed includes a magnesium coil that passes through a small circuit before entering an energy storage module. The module is made up of zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors, allowing it to store electrical energy directly instead of relying on chemical energy storage like standard batteries.
It’s a fascinating invention that could revolutionize the way we work with biomedical devices. However, the technology is still in the early stages of development and although the prototype shows promise, there is still much work to be done if researchers want to scale it up to bring it to the medical industry worldwide.
Additionally, maybe one day systems like this will change the way we charge wireless devices, including everyday devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops.