Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have found a new way to charge electronic devices – by using our own bodies as an energy source. The team is developing thermoelectric materials that can convert heat into electricity, without the need for enormous and extremely hot objects like the sun. This technology could take advantage of waste heat generated by industrial and energy generation processes, as well as heat from the human body.
Associate Professor Ajay Soni, who is leading the research, says he has developed a prototype module that can absorb heat from the human body and convert it into electricity. This could be used to charge phones and laptops simply by holding them or placing them on the lap, without any need for a charger or socket. Soni’s team also found that the same technology could be applied to other electronics devices, including wristwatches and earphones.
The materials that can convert waste heat to electrical energy are known as thermoelectric materials. By keeping one end of the material heated and the other end cold, they create a temperature gradient that generates an electrical voltage. Soni says that during his research, he found that his team’s module can efficiently convert heat from various other devices, including cars. Energy from the heat generated under a car’s bonnet could now be repurposed instead of being wasted and contributing to global warming.
