Sweat-Powered Wearable Sensors Land NC State Researcher on Newsweek’s Inaugural ‘Greatest Disruptors’ List

Amay J. Bandodkar, whose work focuses on self-powered wearable sensors for health monitoring, was named to Newsweek’s inaugural “America’s 50 Greatest Disruptors” list. Bandodkar is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at North Carolina State University with an affiliation to the ASSIST Center and the department of Biomedical Engineering.

Newsweek’s list identifies visionaries and innovators who are changing the world through technology. Newsweek recognized Bandodkar for his work on wearable battery-free sensors and skin-friendly wearable batteries. 

“Imagine a wearable sensor the size of a quarter that can measure vitals, stress biochemicals, glucose levels, and hydration status,” says Bandodkar. This requires developing unconventional sensors and skin-friendly, miniaturized batteries to power the wearable systems. “By carefully selecting the battery electrode materials and using a person’s own sweat as the electrolyte I was able to develop a thin, flexible, battery cell which has energy capacity similar to that of a coin cell but without the latter’s use of toxic chemicals and rigid, metallic housing.”

Newsweek’s list includes people and companies, upstarts and change makers, who are using technology to spur transformative change in their respective fields. Others recognized include Elon Musk, Katalin Karikó, and Lizzo. Read more on the list here.

Bandodkar joined NC State in January 2021. This past summer, MIT named him to its list of “Innovators Under 35.”