# Biodegradable paper battery powers ingestible devices for three days in pigs

_Published Monday, September 21, 2026 at 4:12 PM EDT · Science, Robotics · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![A close up of a person wearing a blue shirt with their tongue sticking out and a red and white pill on it — Primary](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LNeuXfTQGEGue2bUuLMjvE-2000-80.jpg)

Researchers demonstrated a swallowable paper-like battery that powered medical devices inside pigs for up to three days before its biodegradable components broke down. A small version powered an experimental RFID tag, while a larger one powered a capsule that stimulated the stomach and increased the hormone ghrelin without visible tissue damage at the stimulation site.

The layered battery uses a magnesium-alloy anode, a molybdenum-trioxide and activated-carbon cathode, a biodegradable electrolyte and wax coatings that regulate degradation. Capacity remains low, performance varied between units, and the non-biodegradable circuit board passed through the animals rather than dissolving.

## Sources

- [Live Science](https://www.livescience.com/health/scientists-made-a-paper-battery-you-can-swallow-to-power-internal-medical-devices)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/8TktHCToUILY8dM0z3tvmm
Published: 2026-09-21T20:12:04.046Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-21T18:30:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T22:08:56.671Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)