Eel-Inspired 3D-Printed Hydrogel Instantly Generates Electricity
Inspired by the electric eel, researchers from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland have developed 3D-printed hydrogels that could generate up to 110 Volts of electricity in an instant. The rows of gels contain positively and negatively charged ions that combine together to mimic the eel's cellular structure. Unlike typical batteries, these systems are soft, flexible, transparent, and potentially biocompatible. The researchers hope the system leads to a device that generates power from within the human body.