https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/element14's Power & Energy group is where an engineer or a maker can learn about AC/DC power, DC/DC converters, switching regulators, LDOs, ultra-low power, energy harvesting, energy storage, supercapacitors, and power management ICs.en-USTelligent Community 12https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/mit-develops-a-potentially-safer-battery-for-internal-medical-devicesThu, 15 Oct 2026 08:30:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:9d7f8a64-f571-44e6-b311-7418cd98b7efCatwellMIT developed batteries for ingestible medical devices. (Image Credit: MIT ) Swallowable devices have batteries with metals that aren’t safe for the body if the protective coatings wear out while moving through the digestive system. MIT researchers recently developed a battery that can power ingestible medical devices before they break down in a GI tract. The 1.84 V battery powered an RFID and a capsule that electrically stimulates the stomach. For the anode, MIT used magnesium, and molybdenum trioxide (MoO 3 ) and activated carbon for the cathode. While discharging, magnesium oxidizes, releasing electrons that pass through an external circuit, powering the device. Ion transportation between the electrodes is done through a gelatin-based gel electrolyte with a biodegradable ionic liquid made from choline chloride and lactic acid. The team chose materials that can break down and have body absorption qualities, making the battery bioresorbable. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were integrated as binders into the cathode, and a gel with gelatin and glycerol was used. It’s also coated in protective melted beeswax to ensure the battery doesn’t degrade earlier than expected in the stomach. Two different battery formats were created. The first is a 7.5 mm-diameter disc, and the other is a 24 mm-long rectangular version. The smallest one fits inside a 000-size capsule. Extra space is available for other components plus a therapeutic payload, too. The team developed a 7.5 mm disc-shaped battery and a 24 mm long rectangular battery for various applications. (Image Credit: MIT ) Before testing, the batteries were immersed in a simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2 at 37°C) to see how they worked. Each battery performed normally for three days before declining. Within a few weeks to months, they broke down. For accelerated degradation testing, they raised the temperature to 75°C. This caused the encapsulation layers to slowly separate, and, within two weeks, the electrodes decomposed. It took several months for the batteries to break down under accelerated conditions. Pigs were involved in the experiment. The researchers connected the rectangular battery to a capsule that provides electrical stimulation to the stomach lining. It was continually stimulated for up to three days. Twenty minutes of gastric electrical stimulation for twenty caused the animals’ ghrelin levels to rise by ~50%. Across the three swine models, the average increase was 36.3% ± 12.85%. X-ray imaging revealed that the capsules with the battery stayed in the stomach for three days without moving into the intestines. The batteries operated even though their voltage and capacity declined. The disc-shaped battery was used in another experiment to power an RFID tag that sends data about where the capsule is inside the GI tract. This system transmitted signals over distances of up to 1.5 meters, extending the earlier RFID tags’ communication range. However, the entire system isn’t fully bioresorbable. For instance, the electrical-stimulation capsule has a non-bioresorbable PCB, which should pass through the GI tract and be excreted. The researchers are now planning a clinical trial of the SAFARI medication-adherence system, which they expect to start in two years. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.bioresorbablemithmihumanon_campusbatteryuniversitymedicalhttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/finland-s-olkiluoto-2-nuclear-reactor-had-to-replace-its-rotor-a-few-timesFri, 25 Sep 2026 18:58:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:49d46f56-9320-459c-b624-ce8aeb629c17CatwellThe Olkiluoto site in Finland. (Kallerna/ Wikimedia Commons ) A nuclear reactor, Olkiluoto 2 , in Finland is expected to operate at 735 MW---155 MW below its full capacity until the end of next year. There were issues with its generator rotor that caused Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) to cut back on its output. The reactor is operating at this reduced output until the new rotor is installed A boiling-water reactor (BWR), Olkiluoto 2 has a thermal output of 2,500 megawatts along with a total electrical capacity of 890 MW. The turbine train is rated at 3,000 RPM and features a high-pressure turbine and four low-pressure turbines. OL2 first started experiencing issues two years ago . On September 9 th , 2024, TVO detected higher-than-normal moisture levels before the rotors stopped working. The unit was then disconnected from Finland’s power grid. While the company determined the generator’s rotor caused the failure, they couldn’t figure out why it happened. One month later, the reactor connected to the grid again after they installed a backup rotor in place of the faulty one. Since the spare turned out to be the last one in the inventory, TVO kept the unit at a reduced output. It generated 725 MW after the October 2024 replacement. Afterward, TVO increased the output to 735 MW and kept it there. TVO says they set the initial limitation to lower the chances of another rotor failure. In April 2025, another spare rotor arrived . This time, TVO started boosting the output to its 890 MW capacity. Power production increased on April 14 th , with full power production five days later. However, on April 15 th , TVO detected more moisture in the generator, pausing power generation. Nuclear safety wasn’t affected. There are still uncertainties about the cause of the moisture issue. Johanna Aho, TVO communications manager, said it was too early to determine what happened. TVO installed a refurbished, spare rotor that arrived in April, replacing the failed one. On May 6 th , 2025, the OL2 unit generated power again at 735 MW. On July 15 th , 2026, the Olkiluoto site received a refurbished spare rotor. This isn’t expected to be installed right away and will be kept as a backup. According to TVO, a new, technically improved rotor will arrive late next year. The restriction lasted longer than anticipated. The company was set to raise the output limit during the 2026 annual outage. It then extended the timeline to 2027 instead. TVO says the reactor is staying at 735 MW until it installs the new rotor. At 100% capacity, OL2 supplies 8% of Finland’s energy usage. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.turbinealternative_energyeuropepowerenergyfinland