A team of American and Chinese researchers have recently revealed a tiny implantable battery which they used to power a pacemaker. The battery converts the constant movement of organs like the heart, diaphragm and lungs into electrical energy.
These tiny powerplants are made of lead zirconate titanate nanoribbons, housed in biocompatible plastic and are piezoelectric in nature (convert stress into electricity). The researchers say that the batteries could be used to power a range of gadgets in the future, including our mobile phones. The integrated rectifier, which converts the electric signal, and the tiny rechargeable battery are all housed in the same plastic casing.
So far, the team has successfully implanted the battery on to the heart of a cow. They have successfully installed two units, doubling the power output, and hope that this technology will be used in medical implants soon. Here is a short clip showing the new implantable battery in action: