UMass engineers grow a mesh with heart cells that makes its own electricity
A thin mesh with living human heart cells turns each heartbeat into power. In lab tests it gave 10 times more power density than centralized power systems.
Engineers made a thin mesh and grew real human heart cells in it. Each heartbeat bends the mesh and makes a little electricity. One day it could power pacemakers without batteries, but it only works in the lab so far.
Hype check
Louder than it deserves. The real change is smaller.
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Why it matters
Pacemakers and similar implants need batteries that must be replaced by surgery. This idea could remove that need, but it only exists in the lab today.
Watch: a battery made from living cells is a big idea, still years away.
The details
- The mesh holds thin ribbons of a piezoelectric material (PZT) on a very flexible polymer sheet.
- Human heart cells are grown into the mesh. Each beat bends the ribbons, and bending makes electricity.
- The team reports 10 times more power density than centralized power systems.
- Films can be stacked to add more power.
- The lead researcher says it exists only in the lab. Biocompatibility, reliability and power management need more work.
Receipts
The company or lab said it. Primary source linked. Open the sources and check us.
- SourceEurekAlert (UMass Amherst release)eurekalert.org ↗
- ReportTech Xploretechxplore.com ↗
- ReportElectronics For Youelectronicsforu.com ↗
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