cross pond high tech

By making the basic building blocks of batteries out of ink, Harvard materials scientist Jennifer Lewis is laying the groundwork for lithium-ion batteries and other high-performing electronics that can be produced with 3-D printers.

Although the technology is still at an early stage, the ability to print batteries and other electronics could make it possible to manufacture new kinds of devices. Think of self-powered biomedical sensors, affixed to the skin, that would continuously transmit vital signs to a smartphone. Or existing products could be made more simply and efficiently.

While computing power has taken off, battery life has languished as evidenced in a 2005 report by Joseph A. Paradiso of MIT.

Christopher Mims republished the chart today at Quartz. Mims asked if there was an update to the chart.

He was told there was no update.