The dream of battery-free devices has taken an impossible turn as Carnegie Mellon researchers debut. Power-Over-Skin. The technology includes blood sugar monitors, In an effort to power consumer wearables such as heart rate monitors and smart-glass fitness trackers, electrical currents can be passed through human skin.
The researchers note that the technology is still in an “early stage.” They currently showcase technology that enables low-power electronics, like the LED earrings pictured above.
“It's similar to how radio uses the air as a medium for your car stereo,” notes CMU researcher Andy Kong. “We're just using body tissue as a transmission medium in this case.”