Imagine a world where our contact lenses could do more than just help us see clearly.
What if they could show us information, track our health, and even store memories?
Thanks to scientists from NTU Singapore, this futuristic idea could be one step closer to reality.
So, what’s the big deal?
The big news here is about a tiny battery.
The scientists, led by Associate Professor Lee Seok Woon, have made a super-thin battery, almost as thin as our cornea (the clear front surface of our eyes).
And guess what? It gets charged up when dipped in saline solution!
Smart contact lenses: not just science fiction
These aren’t your regular contact lenses. We’re talking about “smart” contact lenses. These lenses can display information right on our eyes, like a tiny computer screen.
They can help correct our vision, but also monitor our health, give early warnings if someone’s getting sick, and even treat certain diseases.
Imagine a diabetic person getting a heads-up about their blood sugar levels from their lenses or a person with glaucoma getting timely reminders to take their medication.
And that’s not all. In the future, these lenses might even record what we see and hear, saving it like a personal diary!
But what powers these smart lenses?
That’s where the battery comes in. For these smart lenses to work, they need power. But using regular batteries or wires is not an option.
Why? Because they’re usually made of metals which can be uncomfortable or even dangerous for our eyes.
The new battery from NTU is different. It’s safe for our eyes and doesn’t use any harmful metals or wires. The secret behind its power?
A special coating made from glucose (a type of sugar) that reacts with salty stuff, like sodium and chloride ions, found in saline solution. So, instead of using traditional wires to conduct electricity, the battery uses water.
Cool, right? But there’s more. Our tears, which naturally clean and moisten our eyes, can also help charge this battery.
Tears have salty things like sodium and potassium ions in them. The scientists tested the battery with a solution that mimics human tears.
They found that every time someone wears these contact lenses for twelve hours, the battery life increases by one more hour!
And if you’re wondering, “What if the battery dies while I’m wearing it?” Don’t worry! It can also be charged the old-fashioned way, using an external power source.
Wrapping it up
In simple words, this new battery is like a dream come true for the world of smart contact lenses. It’s safe, thin, and can get charged by the saline solution or even our tears.
While we’re still a bit away from having these smart lenses in stores, this battery brings us a step closer to that exciting future.
So, the next time someone talks about the wonders of the future, remember: it might be right around the corner, or in this case, right in front of our eyes!
The study was published in the journal Nano Energy.
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Source: Nanyang Technological University.
