A researcher illuminates an LED with the KIST logo via wireless power transfer. KIST
Juicing up devices through water is no longer sci-fi. Scientists have turned it into a working reality—and it could transform both medical and marine tech forever.
A research team from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Korea University has developed a flexible and biocompatible ultrasonic receiver that enables wireless charging, even underwater or beneath human skin.
With the rising demand for implantable medical electronics and underwater devices, the need for a stable, continuous power supply has never been more critical.
This breakthrough paves the way for a new generation of implantable medical devices and underwater electronics that can stay powered without wires, ports, or frequent battery replacements.
Power beneath the surface
Traditional wireless charging methods, like electromagnetic induction and radio frequency systems, struggle when it comes to biological tissues or aquatic environments.
Their short range, low efficiency, and susceptibility to electromagnetic interference make them poorly suited for medical implants or submerged devices.
To overcome these limitations, scientists are turning to ultrasound, a more tissue-friendly and water-compatible alternative, ushering in a next-generation solution for wireless charging.
Ultrasound waves are less absorbed by biological tissue and water, making them ideal carriers for wireless energy.
The newly developed receiver, led by Dr. Sunghoon Hur at KIST and Professor Hyun-Cheol Song at Korea University, uses high-efficiency piezoelectric materials in a stretchable structure that conforms to the human body.
Not only does it maintain stable performance even when bent, but it also significantly improves power conversion compared to conventional ultrasonic receivers.
Charging without the cables
This marks a significant leap from earlier ultrasonic receivers, which struggled with poor energy conversion rates and rigid structures unsuitable for the human body.
In tests, the device, described as a triboelectric ultrasonic device, delivered 20 milliwatts of power at a 3 cm distance underwater and seven milliwatts through 3 cm of tissue, enough to continuously run low-power wearables or medical implants like pacemakers and neurostimulators.
The team even demonstrated the tech by lighting up an LED with the KIST logo via wireless ultrasonic transmission.
“Through this research, we have demonstrated that wireless power transmission technology using ultrasound can be applied practically,” said Dr. Sunghoon Hur at KIST. “We plan to conduct further research for miniaturization and commercialization to accelerate the practical application of the technology.”
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The receiver also holds promise beyond the human body.
Its ability to function underwater makes it suitable for long-term deployment in marine sensors and autonomous underwater drones, where wired charging is impractical and battery replacement is difficult.
With its flexibility, biocompatibility, and efficiency, this ultrasonic receiver could usher in a new era of safe, seamless, and contactless power for devices that operate where wires can’t reach—from beneath the skin to beneath the sea.
The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT under the KIST Institutional Program and the Nano-Material Technology Development Project of the National Research Foundation of Korea.
It has been published in the journal Advanced Materials.
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