Body Heat Could Power the Next Generation of Wearables

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) use the temperature difference between skin and ambient air to produce electricity, potentially extending wearable battery life. They can't power displays, but screenless trackers could go weeks without charging.

• TEGs generate power via the Seebeck effect from the skin-to-air temperature gradient
• Not enough power for display devices, but nearly sufficient for screenless trackers
• The battery acts as a buffer that TEGs continuously top up while sensors sleep
• Wearable shipments hit nearly 146 million units in Q1 2026, per IDC