Smartwatch powered by you

MATRIX PowerWatch with real time power display
Credit: Akram Boukai/IndieGoGo

Some smartwatches struggle to make it through a single day. Some have a two day battery life. In my use, a Pebble Time watch has a battery life up to 8.5 days. Any way you cut it, charging is an issue for smartwatches.

Except the MATRIX PowerWatch – the tiny amount of current required to power it is generated using heat from your body. Strictly speaking, the heat gradient from the back of the watch (against you wrist) to the front of the watch (in contact with ambient air).



Engadget
https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/14/matrix-powerwatch-hands-on/

Cnet
https://www.cnet.com/news/matrix-powerwatch-no-charge-claims-to-last-on-body-heat/

IndieGoGo project
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/smartwatch-powered-by-you-matrix-powerwatch-watch-fitness/x/9010251#/ / PowerWatch body heat-powered smartwatch does very little don’t have to worry about charging biggest problem with smartwatches avoiding dead battery forgetting to plug them in fiddle with unwieldy magnetic disk chargers keeping a wearable juiced up not as convenient as it should be startup Matrix Industries harness body heat power smartwatches technology debut PowerWatch try out an early prototype device worked only offered very basic functions body-heat energy resource isn't new watches Seiko Thermic doesn't take much energy simply move a second hand much more is needed to run a processor PowerWatch first wearable powered entirely by warmth body heat world's lowest-power-consuming microprocessor AMBI Q earlier processors too power-hungry effective Akram Boukai founder Matrix Industries processor PowerWatch thermal technology power-efficient AMBI Q PowerWatch capable displaying the time tracking your steps sleep quality setting timers stopwatches monitoring amount energy you're generating displayed power meter circling the watch face fuller your body temperature increases exercising, creating larger difference between your skin's surface temperature surrounding air power you produce more accurate measure your calories burned calorie defined as a unit of heat energy send information to your phone via Bluetooth displaying circular charts how much energy milliamp hours data set goals distance steps most fitness apps functions first-gen wearable truly smart watch smartwatch receive your phone's notifications on your wrist company features added in future iterations of the product chunky PowerWatch prototype wrist recent demo display turn on after second or two contact with my skin four-bar power meter screen one bar provide enough energy watch's basic functions generated charging device's 200mAh battery last two years when idle device goes to sleep when you remove continues keep track of the time store your collected data fully functional prototype final version watch round 1.2-inch black-and-white black-&-white black & white display 18mm or 20mm straps available for preorder Indiegogo $99 expected delivery July 2017 price ships PowerWatch very basic proof-of-concept device at the moment Matrix Industries plans for the future hearing aids wireless earbuds powered by body heat other applications for its more efficient and reliable means of generating energy /