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Microchip Powered by Body Heat

An anonymous reader writes "MIT and Texas Instruments researchers have designed a chip that they say could be up to 10 times more energy efficient than current technology. The chip's power consumption is so low that devices with the chip may even be able to be recharged using the owner's body heat." The intent is to use these in medical applications like pacemakers where one would expect to have the free power source.

4 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. But i am a cold hearted bastard by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Funny

    you insensitive clod!

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  2. Dupe! by Clazzy · · Score: 5, Informative

    We know. It did seem like a familiar read.

    --
    If we can hit that bull's-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards... Checkmate.
  3. cochlear implants ... by constantnormal · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ... would seem to be a much more likely implanted medical device than pacemakers to use this technology. Having a pair of fully-implanted, self-powered devices that independently provide sound to each ear would seem to be a huge step forward, and readily achievable with this sort of technology.

    And with a generation rapidly driving themselves deaf via iPods, a technological solution like this would seem to be appropriate and is arriving just in time.

    While I don't know what kind of voltages and currents a pacemaker uses to regulate heart activity, it would seem a lot more likely that a cochlear implant would use less. Plus, there's a lot less downside risk if the device malfunctions.

  4. Haven't we all seen this movie? by Snarkhunter · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think we have. Except that in the movies, the humans weren't dumb enough to TEACH the robots to feed of body heat. Oh well. I for one would like to offer our slightly peckish robotic overlords a light brunch.