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The energy demands of the ever-growing consumer electronics industry have consistently pushed the technological boundaries of batteries. The next wave of wearables will revolutionize society and dramatically improve quality of life. FitBit and Apple Watch will seem like early primitive devices compared to upcoming devices.
Advances over recent years in advanced materials, nanotechnology, MEMs fabrication, low-power microprocessors, new device architectures etc. has resulted in the rapid development of fitness and activity trackers, smart clothing, wearable technology, e-skins, and printable, rollable & stretchable electronic devices. The growth in flexible electronics has resulted in increased demand for flexible, stretchable, bendable, rollable and foldable batteries as power sources for application in flexible and wearable devices.
New developments in bendable smartphones have reached market readiness. These connected devices underpin the further development of the Internet of Things' (IoT).
However, the battery requirements of these technologies are fundamentally different from those currently serviced by Li-ion batteries (e.g. electric vehicles, laptops, handheld consumer electronic devices). A crucial challenge is developing fully integrated, lightweight, wearable and high-performance energy-storage devices to power the functioning devices in a wearable system. Flexible and stretchable batteries will play an important role in achieving the vision of wearable and conforming electronics.
