The form factor of your favorite gadgets is often dictated by the battery tech used to power them, but that may not be the case in the future, as scientists have made a breakthrough in the search for more adaptable power.

Scientists at Linköping University in Sweden have revealed a new battery design concept with a "toothpaste-like consistency" that allows it to bend and be much more malleable than current technologies. Researchers used liquid electrodes rather than solid ones to successfully power an LED light in its relaxed state as well as when it was being twisted and stretched.

With this new technology, manufacturers may be able to make devices themselves more flexible, and it may allow for battery tech to squeeze into areas on a device where that hasn’t always been possible. The researchers have found the material can be 3D printed to allow for more experimental designs.

One use case could be improving the battery capacity on wearable devices. A company might be able to use this tech to include larger batteries in bendable elements of a smartwatch, such as the strap or the lugs of the device. The same could be useful for foldable phones or bending laptops.

Don’t expect this technology to come to devices anytime soon. This can only power an LED light for now, and the researchers have noted that the next step will be to find a way to increase the voltage of the battery, which is currently 0.9 volts. "One option that we are exploring is the use of zinc or manganese, two metals that are common in the Earth’s crust," says Aiman Rahmanudin, assistant professor at Linköping University.

By: DocMemory
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