Once again, my Friday post is about possibilities we (you, your social circles, me, and others) might develop from reading about these new scientific discoveries.  How could they translate into some things that help people with Type 1 diabetes? 

PLEASE share your thoughts and creative imaginings!

These first 2 posts are all about generating power, something we all need to operate our devices.

Whoop’s slick new fitness band hides a battery breakthrough was reported by Jared Newman for FastCompany.com, 9 September 2021.  Sila’s battery chemistry has been in the works for a decade. Now, it’s getting out of the lab and into a real product.

The humble lithium ion battery is one of the biggest bottlenecks in consumer electronics, but a decade-old startup called Sila has taken a big step towards changing that.  Sila enables batteries to use a different kind of chemistry that employs a silicon-based anode instead of graphite, claiming a 20% increase in energy density. Now, the startup is shipping the tech in a fitness band from Whoop, allowing for a design that’s considerably slimmer than before without sacrificing its five-day battery life. 

“The Whoop 4.0 is our Tesla Roadster if you will,” says Gene Berdichevsky, Sila’s CEO and co-founder, who formerly led development on Tesla’s original battery system. “It’s the first product that proves the breakthrough is possible. From here, we get to scale up, and dramatically accelerate the electrification of everything in the world.”

The problem with silicon is that it swells while charging. This obviously puts stress on the structure of the battery, but it also can invite unwanted reactions with the battery’s electrolyte, limiting the silicon’s ability to retain lithium ions and hold a charge over time.

Sila says it’s created a particle structure that contains the silicon as it expands and uses a rigid outer layer to defend against reactions with the electrolyte. Berdichevsky describes its material as a “black powder,” which battery makers can effectively use as a drop-in replacement for graphite in their existing manufacturing lines.

Hidden power sources?!  So cool!

Read more:  Whoop’s slick new fitness band hides a battery breakthrough

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A New Stretchable Tool Generates Electrical Power With Tiny Magnets was written by Loukia Papadopoulos for InterestingEngineering.com, 2 October 2021.  

We have often reported on piezoelectric material that can transform stress into electricity but so far these materials have had limited capabilities like the inability to produce enough energy to be viable or to function if they get a little wet. That’s all about to change.  

A new invention consisting of magnetoelastic generators, composed of a platinum-catalyzed silicone polymer matrix suspended inside of which are nanoscale neodymium-iron-boron magnets, has been devised that results in soft and flexible super-efficient self-powered bioelectronic devices. The tech uses human body movements to power wearable and implantable diagnostic sensors. Better yet, it even works when wet which means rain or sweat won’t deactivate it.

“Our finding opens up a new avenue for practical energy, sensing and therapeutic technologies that are human-body-centric and can be connected to the Internet of Things,” said study leader Jun Chen, an assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of California at Los Angeles’ Samueli School of Engineering, in a statement.  “What makes this technology unique is that it allows people to stretch and move with comfort when the device is pressed against human skin, and because it relies on magnetism rather than electricity, humidity and our own sweat do not compromise its effectiveness.”

Just think about this!  Where could this be used to power our devices, simply by moving?

Read more:  A New Stretchable Tool Generates Electrical Power With Tiny Magnets

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Couples in long-term relationships develop uncanny biological similarities, study finds was discussed by Daniel Karel for Salon.com, 4 October 2021.  Researchers analyzed thousands of couples in long-term relationships – and discovered odd similarities, health-wise

When couples get together and stay together, their bodies synchronize on a deep biological level, according to a new large-scale study conducted by Japanese researchers. This bodes well for couples in happy, physically active relationships, and can lead to bolstered health deep into old age. For others, it can produce uncanny and exacerbated health problems.

The study analyzed health data from tens of thousands of couples — 5,391 from Japan and 28,262 from the Netherlands. Across both populations, the researchers found that, in general, long-term partners experienced similar levels of blood pressure, triglyceride, and cholesterol, and were also more likely to simultaneously suffer from chronic ailments such as diabetes and hypertension. 

The study’s conclusions echoed those of a related study conducted in 2016, when researchers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor discovered a similar phenomenon on a smaller scale. 

In all of these studies, this linked-health phenomenon was frequently found in couples who were genetically dissimilar. This largely ruled out a possible biological explanation tied to “assertive mating” — a scientific term that describes the tendency for organisms with similar underlying physical characteristics to couple up. Instead, researchers believe that lifestyle factors — the daily routines and rhythms of a relationship — wind up playing a long-term role in the health of a couple. 

“Aging is something that couples do together,” said Shannon Meijia, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan, in a 2016 interview with NPR. “You’re in an environment together, you’re appraising that environment together, and making decisions.”

The researchers behind the Japanese study also suggested that their findings could have implications for the way doctors diagnose illnesses and evaluate the health of their elderly patients. By looking at the health of a spouse, physicians might be able to glean important clues regarding the health of their patients — and in doing so, suggest preventative actions to assuage future health problems.

WOW, this is ripe with possibilities for personalized medical care … and more!

Read more:  Couples in long-term relationships develop uncanny biological similarities

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The Wonderful World of Completely Random Facts was shared by Daniel Ganninger for Medium.com/FactWorld, 30 September 2021.  

    • Ever wonder about the backside of a wine bottle? 
    • How about that Norwegian Butter Problem? 
    • Got a strong pinky? 
    • Where will you find an ATM where the transactions can be completed in Latin?
    • How about them Ten-Gallon Hats?

It is indeed a bunch of random facts … but any one of these could trigger a creative process in your mind, towards a new product, device or invention to help people with diabetes!  Put on your thinking caps!!!

Read more:  The Wonderful World of Completely Random Facts

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