Binghamton Researchers Develop A New Ingestible Biobattery
Ingestible Biobatteries. Well, that's something I've never heard before. And for good reason. It's a new invention that could allow a new view of the digestive system thanks to some researchers at Binghamton University.
According to the Binghamton University website, one of the faculty members in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, Professor Seokheun Choi led lead his team on research that was published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials.
The idea for an Ingestible Biobattery is as a solution for the hard-to-reach small intestine. In the Binghamton University article, Professor Choi states:
Ingestible cameras have been developed to solve this issue. They can do many things, such as imaging and physical sensing, even drug delivery. The problem is power. So far, the electronics are using primary batteries that have a finite energy budget and cannot function for the long term.
Traditional batteries can be harmful while inside the small intestine, but Professor Choi explains that these Ingestible Biobatteries "utilize microbial fuel cells with spore-forming Bacillus subtilis bacteria that remain inert until they reach the small intestine."
I find it amazing the many things that researchers, professors, and students at our own Binghamton University continue to develop to help make our world a better place, and this is another example.
For a better explanation of the Ingestible Bioabattery, check out this interesting video.