Flexible supercapacitors have a High Power density but their low energy density and quick discharge times limit their usefulness. Although flexible lithium-ion battery have a higher energy density than conventional batteries, there are safety concerns that limit their widespread use in wearable technology. Enter zinc ion batteries. This promising energy-storage technology is low-cost and has high safety. The gel electrolytes used to help with electric charge flow in these batteries are difficult to make and have low mechanical properties and ion conductivity.
Scientists have now developed rechargeable zinc-ion batteries that have a relatively high energy density of 91 W/L. This is comparable to lithium-ion batteries energy densities ranging from 250 to 670 W/L. The batteries could be made as fibers of one millimeter in size, which were nearly as elastic as human skin. They can stretch 230% without breaking and cost $0.64 per fifteen centimeters. They are also lightweight at 1.26g per 15 centimeters.
This sounds like social robots might be able to address some of these needs. Do you believe social robots should be used to provide elder care?
Things can get really difficult for people with advanced dementia. A variety of robot-like or doll-like items can be used to help people with dementia feel more at ease and improve their quality of life. Although they may seem a little creepy to those without the disability, I believe they are actually very capable and can fulfill that role well. If you think of it in business terms, there's another large market where many people's lives could be greatly improved, even if they are just retired. We want to create a social-assistive tech. This field is still in its infancy, so much of the improvements to people's lives could happen in the next five to ten years. Social robotics is a space where robots can be used to connect lonely people with their grandchildren, grandkids, or friends. This is an area with huge potential. More information