Never, Ever Charge This Smartwatch; It Sucks Power From Your Body: CES 2018

Smartwatches might let you give some rest to your smartphone. But the biggest problem related to them is they can’t run for long like their traditional counterparts which can run off a battery for more than a year.

Now, Matrix Industries has made an attempt to remove this hassle of charging from your life–at least, in the case of smartwatches. What they’ve shown off at CES 2018 is a watch called PowerWatch X, which charges with the help of the wearer’s body heat.

The technology that has made this possible is called Thermoelectrics– the conversion of heat into electricity–which has been in existence since the time NASA started building spacecraft for the space missions. You might remember how a custom suit was used to mine cryptocurrency using body heat.

PowerWatch X is not the first one to feature a thermoelectric energy converter; it has a predecessor. But the upgraded version has improved regarding features, including the ability to send Bluetooth notifications to the connected smartphone.

With its fitness tracking features, the watch can measure your daily calorie burn, steps taken, and how much you slept. It also includes a power indicator which tells how much electricity your body has produced to the charge the smartphone.

When not worn, it takes power from the built-in rechargeable battery while running in a low-power mode. So, technically, if the PowerWatch X functions as claimed, a wearer won’t have to charge the watch in its entire lifetime.

PowerWatch X is compatible with Android and iOS. With a shipping date as early as January, it is available for purchase with a price tag of $249.

Check out more amazing stuff in our CES 2018 coverage.