Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found that the human body could be used to harvest waste energy and then use it to power technology of the futureThe researchers said that human bodies could be used for 6G, the next generation of wireless communication, a press release stated.
Could the human body be used to power technologies of the future? Scientists think that’s possible.
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found that the human body could be used to harvest waste energy and then use it to power technology of the future. The researchers said that human bodies could be used for 6G, the next generation of wireless communication, a press release stated.
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While many countries are still far behind in terms of 5G implementation, the next generation (6G) is expected to be about 1000 times faster than what 5G offers.
These high speeds are being attributed to 6G owing to the development of Visible Light Communication (VLC), a kind of wireless fiber-optic network, as reported by Interesting Engineering. VLC works just like radio signals, except it uses light from LEDs to perform this job.
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These LEDs that are commonly found in homes and public places emit side-channel radio frequency (RF). These radio waves essentially constitute an energy leak that could be used to make VLC devices work.
Researchers set out to develop an antenna that would collect this leaked energy. Built using copper wires, the antenna was able to increase energy collection when it was used with another object.
Something interesting happened at this point. The team of researchers found that energy collection was the highest when the coil was in touch with the human body.
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Then scientists decided that wearing the copper wire like a bracelet on the upper forearm provided the right balance of energy collection and wearability. Such devices, researchers say, could change wearables forever.
Now, scientists are working on ways to harvest waste energy from a myriad of sources.
What do you think about collecting energy from the human body to power tech? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
References
Paleja, A. (2023, January 6). Human body can help power 6G devices in the future, study shows. https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/6g-wireless-technology-powered-human-body