Startup Creates A Smartwatch That Doesn't Need Charging

A Menlo Park-based startup created the first ever smartwatch that won't require users to charge them up. All users need to do to keep the device running is to keep wearing it.

Modern smartwatches boast of several features meant to help users monitor their health and track their activity while telling the time. Some smartwatches, like the Apple Watch, help keep wearers safe in the event of emergencies. Some smartwatches, like Fossil's Hybrid HR, make tech wearables look fashionable.

Not a lot of smartwatches are able to last long, though. Most of them only last a day of use, especially if the features are turned on. People who use these smartwatches will always be forced to disable some features so that the wearable won't run out of battery life. Sadly, the smartwatch needs batteries to be smart.

Matrix Industries, a startup based in Menlo Park, California, created the first ever smartwatch that might never need charging. This smartwatch, CNet noted, charges itself using ambient light and its wearer's own body heat. This device is called the PowerWatch 2.

PowerWatch 2

The PowerWatch 2 is a new kind of smartwatch that does what most other smartwatches do but doesn't require users to be always near a wall outlet or other charging device to juice it up. It uses what the company calls a Matrix Gemini Thermoelectric Generator and accompanying Mercury boost converter used to turn body heat into enough voltage to charge a battery.

The device also features a solar cell technology that uses amorphous silicon to absorb ambient light. This type of silicon, which is better than crystalline silicon, is laminated onto the display module. The result is that it can keep receiving light without affecting display clarity.

These two technologies make the PowerWatch 2 the perfect smartwatch to wear when going to places where electricity is nowhere to be found.

Features

The PowerWatch 2 is more than just a self-charging watch. It features a full-color display, which is an upgrade to the first-gen PowerWatch. It offers Heart Rate monitoring, calorie counting, activity tracking and GPS location tracking. It also has sleep monitoring functions, and notifies users if they receive text messages on a paired Android or iOS smartphone.

The wearable is rugged and offers up to 200m water resistance. It has a Sapphire glass face, has a casing made of aircraft-grade aluminum, and can come in different finishes with corresponding silicone strap ($499 Standard version), stainless steel milanese strap ($699 Luxe version), or stainless steel bracelet ($599 Premium version).