New Batteries Are Safe For Children To Swallow

With the proliferation of such gadgets, and the demand for ever-powerful batteries to power them, the problem of accidental ingestion is increasing, researchers said.

"Ingested disc batteries require emergent removal from the oesophagus," said co-first study author Giovanni Traverso, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

"The swallowing of these batteries is a gastrointestinal emergency given that tissue damage starts as soon as the battery is in contact with the tissue, generating an electric current and leading to a chemical burn," said Traverso.

"We set out to create a specialised coating that could switch from an insulator to a conductor when subjected to pressure," said co-author Robert Langer, Institute Professor from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology.

The scientists discovered this unique substance in an unlikely place - touch screens.

Using an off-the-shelf material known as a quantum tunnelling composite, they identified a nanoparticle-based coating that, when subjected to pressure, allows an electrical current to pass through.

In contrast, it allows no current to run in the absence of such pressure.

The research was published in the journal PNAS.

READ MORE: Gaming Violence Not Linked To Societal Violence and Premature Babies At Higher Risk Of Brain Disorders