NTU Singapore team develops flexible battery for smart contact lenses

This is the claim of a team from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), whose work is detailed in Nano Energy. 
Smart contact lenses display information on corneas and can be used to access augmented reality. Current uses include helping to correct vision, monitoring wearers' health, and flagging and treating diseases for people with chronic health conditions including diabetes and glaucoma.

Smart contact lenses could be further developed to record and transmit everything a wearer sees and hears to cloud-based data storage, but reaching this scenario will require a safe and suitable battery. Existing rechargeable batteries rely on wires or induction coils that contain metal and are unsuitable for use in the human eye as they are uncomfortable and present risks to the user.

Co-first author Dr Yun Jeonghun, a research fellow from NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering said: “The most common battery charging system for smart contact lenses requires metal electrodes in the lens, which are harmful if they are exposed to the naked human eye.