VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have demonstrated the super-lightweight and flexible fuel cell stacks. According to KIST, the fuel cell is gaining attention as the next-generation environment-friendly energy source, as it uses hydrogen and air to create electricity without making pollutant by-products. The technologies are expected to be widely used in the wearable device industry.

Flexibility is the catchphrase in the IT industry, as the market for wearable devices – such as smart watches or bands – is growing rapidly across the world. Tech titans including Samsung and Apple are also launching state-of-the-art wearable devices in a bid to build their own internet of things (IoT) ecosystem. The new development is raising expectations that fuel cells can replace lithium-ion batteries, which are most commonly used in wearable devices.

Scientists have tried to make flexible lithium-ion batteries, but have failed. For this reason, there have been growing calls for a new energy source that can be flexible, according to KIST. “The fuel cell comes with a lot of advantages compared with other energy sources in such areas as eco-friendliness and energy storage efficiency,” said Yoo Seong-jong, at KIST. In particular, the scientist expects the drone industry to benefit from the new technologies.