Out jogging and your iPod has run out of battery? Well, don't worry, your heart could soon be powering your iPod and your mobile phone too.
Scientists have found a way of powering a range of devices with body movements.
A team has created a tiny chip which uses natural motion to generate power for hand-held gadgets. They plan to use the human heart to power these devices, including iPods and mobile phones, eliminating batteries.
Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US, made their discovery using zinc oxide nanowires which create electricity whenever they are manipulated, the Daily Mail reports.
In theory, any body movement, even the pinch of a finger, could be used to generate power. So far the team used the technology to transmit a radio signal and to power LCD displays and diodes, but they are convinced it can go much further.
Lead researcher Zhong Lin Wang from Georgia, said: "This development represents a milestone toward producing portable electronics that can be powered by body movements without the use of batteries or electrical outlets."
"Our nano-generators are poised to change lives in the future. Their potential is only limited by one's imagination," Wang added.
In experiments five 'nano-generators' created about the same amount of power as two AA batteries - three volts. Wang said: "While a few volts may not seem like much, it has grown by leaps and bounds over previous versions of the nano-generator."
The findings were presented at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.