Take a Bite: Italian Researchers Unveil World's First Completely Edible, Rechargeable Batteries

John Lopez, Tech Times 21 October 2023, 09:10 am

In a remarkable breakthrough that blends cutting-edge technology with sustainability, a team of researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) has introduced the world's first fully edible and rechargeable batteries.

These batteries are not only paving the way for revolutionary advancements in the field of electronics but are also aimed at being entirely safe for ingestion, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective.

How to Make Edible Electronics

The development of these groundbreaking batteries hinges on the use of food-grade materials, including beeswax, seaweed, and edible gold.

Fabrizo Mario Ferrarese, a Ph.D. student at IIT, who has been actively involved in the project, explains the project to Interesting Engineering, "In developing the very first edible battery, we made it of cellulose with edible gold foil on top of it. On the inside, there are edible molecules that can act as oxidation-reduction, as in every battery. It is covered with beeswax, which is edible and protects the interior of the battery."

Proof-of-Concept

While these edible batteries may not yet have the capability to charge your smartphone, they represent a significant leap forward in sustainable technology.

The proof-of-concept battery can operate at 0.65 V, sustaining a current of 48 µA for 12 minutes. This achievement marks the beginning of a promising journey toward batteries that are not only safe but also eco-friendly.

In the YouTube video below, you can see how the edible batteries are made.

Electronic Food

The innovation does not stop at edible batteries. The IIT researchers are also working on the Electronic Food (ELFO) Project, an initiative funded by the European Union.

ELFO is set to revolutionize how we interact with food, promising to track the food supply chain and monitor the health of our gastrointestinal tract.

Unlike current ingestible electronics that are typically made from materials unfit for consumption, ELFO's mission is to replace traditional electronic components with edible materials like cellulose and honey.

These edible pills can act as gastrointestinal probes, enabling safe exploration of the digestive system and the potential for early diagnosis of health issues.

Mr. Ferrarese elaborates, "These types of pills already exist but are made of very toxic stuff, are indigestible and dangerous." ELFO aims to change this narrative by creating devices that are not only safe for ingestion but can also be naturally excreted, effectively disappearing into the environment.

A Closer Look

ELFO is engineering a range of edible electronic systems that can be incorporated into food products and used as tags to monitor various aspects of food, such as freshness, temperature, and exposure to contaminants.

These edible tags will play a crucial role in ensuring food safety and could be a game-changer in reducing foodborne illnesses.

The overarching vision of IIT and the ELFO Project is to develop technology that is environmentally friendly, cost-effective, energy-efficient, and, above all, safe for consumption.

These devices will serve their purpose within the body, then either be digested or metabolized, leaving no environmental footprint.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.