Stretchable battery for wearable devices

In the future we will have a stretchable battery for smart watches and wearable electronics. The battery can stretch up to 150% of its original size and still be able to supply enough power to the device. This is a study by the University of Arizona, Tempe and the idea of ​​this battery based on Origami paper folding game.

Inventing a stretchable battery for wearable devices

According to the research team from the aerospace and mechanical engineering department, the idea for this type of battery started when they talked to a paper artist about the famous folding styles in art. Origami . Among them is a folding type called Miura-ori - often used to fold large pieces of paper into a series of small triangles and scientists have also used this fold to encapsulate large solar panels big on space ship.

The only problem with using the Origami principle to create electronic devices is that it will make the surfaces uneven, so it is difficult to integrate these devices with other electronic devices. The University of Arizona's solution is to use a variant of Origami called Kirigami to create a stretch pin. Traditional origami uses only folds to create structures while Kirigami uses both folding and cutting methods. This shaping technique makes the structure evenly even when stretched.

Miura-ori folding style in Origami.

The battery is made of a mortar containing graphite and Lithium Cobalt dioxide , which together can store and release electricity. This mortar is coated with aluminum foil and Kirigami forming technique is applied to fold and cut aluminum foil into kinked shapes that can be stretched.

The test showed that the battery could operate the Samsung Gear 2 watch after being stretched, the team said. The battery can also be easily sewn into bracelets, suggesting that it can be used in flexible wearable devices .

Besides the battery, another research team at the University of Arizona has successfully developed a version that can stretch up to 300% of its original size. In this device, energy storage materials are stacked between silicon rubber sheets. The team said their battery was more advantageous than previous flexible battery inventions because it could be compatible with commercially available production technologies.

Researchers are currently looking for ways to create microscopic Origami-scale folds to incorporate stretchable batteries with microelectronic circuits. Before the rapid development of flexible electronics, wearable batteries, stretching batteries will create opportunities for these devices to appear on the market in the near future.