Triboelectric Medicine: Self-Sustained
Energy Solutions for Healthcare Technologies
Sang-Woo Kim
Yonsei University
Abstract
Triboelectric energy
harvesting technologies have emerged as a promising energy solution for medical
implants, utilizing various mechanical energy sources to generate electricity
in vivo. Owing to their simple structure, which is advantageous for miniaturization,
triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been extensively investigated.
In this talk, I will
introduce self-powered medical implants driven by the triboelectric mechanism
and provide an overview of recent research trends. First, I will discuss the
diverse device structures and energy generation performances of TENGs depending
on their mechanical energy sources, which span a wide range of frequencies. In
general, devices powered by high-frequency energy sources demonstrate superior
electrical outputs compared to those operating at low frequencies. However,
current technologies still fall short of satisfying the energy consumption
requirements necessary for the immediate application of commercial electronic
medicines. To address this challenge, I will present material design strategies
aimed at enhancing the output performance of TENGs.
Beyond serving as mere power sources, TENG-based
battery-less electronic medicines hold significant potential for diverse
clinical applications. This talk will also highlight our previous work on
self-powered electronic medicines (termed triboelectric medicine) for use in
wound healing, tissue engineering, neurostimulation, neuroregeneration, and
antibacterial treatments.
Biography
Dr. Sang-Woo Kim is the YONSEI
World-Class Fellow Professor in the Department of Materials Science and
Engineering at Yonsei University. He is a Fellow of the Korean Academy of
Science and Technology (KAST) and a Member of the National Academy of
Engineering of Korea (NAEK). Currently, he is the Director of the Center for
Human-oriented Triboelectric Energy Harvesting funded by the National Research
Foundation of Korea. His recent research interests are focused on
piezoelectric/triboelectric nanogenerators, implantable medical devices,
self-powered wearable electronics, and 2D materials. Prof. Kim has a
publication record, with over 400 research papers published, including articles
in prestigious journals such as Science and Nature (with an H-index of 100).
Currently, Dr. Kim holds the positions of Vice President at the Materials
Research Society of Korea and Vice President of Korean Sensor Society
