Vanderbilt University

In the future, we might overcome anxiety about a dying phone battery by doing a few star jumps. Researchers are developing an ultra-thin device that can generate electricity from motions as subtle as sitting down, opening up possibilities of clothes that charge phones or light up like an LCD screen.

The machine used to spin up cotton candy may also be the answer to a new generation of self-destructing electronics. A new form of electrical circuitry made of a spinable polymer must be kept above a temperature of 32° C (89.6° F) or it dissolves in water.

​Many wild elephants already wear GPS-equipped collars, which let wildlife officials track their whereabouts. An upgrade to those collars, however, could soon allow those officials to instantly know when poachers are shooting at the elephants.

​​Using a millennia-old blueprint and two of the most abundant scrap metals in the US, scientists have developed a battery prototype that could one day offer a cheap and accessible way to store power off the grid.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University have created the world's smallest continuous spirals. The spirals exhibit a set of very specific optical properties that would be difficult to fake, making them ideal for use in identity cards or other items where authenticity is paramount.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University have created a structural supercapacitor that could allow a mobile phone to run off power stored in its casing. In tests, the supercapacitor was able to store and release power flawlessly, even while experiencing mechanical stress.

A supercapacitor made primarily of silicon that has shown much improved power density over its commercially available alternatives could allow for interesting integration of battery technology in everyday electronics, from solar cells to smartphones.

A new smartphone-based system is able to determine the location of snipers.

A new 'bionic' leg developed and Vanderbilt anticipates the wearer's moves.