GoKawiilMIT engineers build ingestible battery from digestible materials, tested in pigs
MIT researchers led by Giovanni Traverso developed a battery coated in a rice-paper-like material that can power swallowable medical devices and then be fully broken down and absorbed by the body. The team tested the battery in pigs by powering an RFID tag that transmits data from inside the body and a device that electrically stimulates the stomach to release hunger-regulating hormones. The work, published in Nature Chemical Engineering, replaces toxic metals, organic electrolytes and plastic casings found in conventional batteries with non-toxic alternatives like magnesium and molybdenum.
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Conventional batteries used in ingestible or implantable devices pose real risks, including chemical burns from leaks and toxic buildup as they pass through the digestive tract. A fully absorbable power source could make ingestible diagnostics and therapies far safer, opening the door to personalized health monitoring and disease treatment devices that don't need to be surgically removed or retrieved after use.
- The battery uses non-toxic materials like magnesium and molybdenum instead of standard toxic battery components.
- It successfully powered an RFID data-transmitting device and a stomach-stimulating device in pig tests.
- The design aims to eliminate risks of chemical burns and toxic residue from traditional ingestible batteries.
Source: nature.com — Bourzac, 2026-09-21
Published there as: “Edible batteries inspired by rice paper power medical devices in the body”
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