Edible Batteries Could Power a Range of Smart Pills and Medical Devices

Carnegie Mellon materials engineer Christopher Bettinger argues that flexible biodegradable batteries safe for human consumption could maximize the benefits of smart pills and devices "by harnessing simultaneous advantages afforded by electronically active systems and obviating issues with chronic implants." In a recent paper, Bettinger documents that such a battery made from the pigment cuttlefish -- sea creatures related to squid -- can discharge 10 microamperes of electricity for a period of ...