"Researchers at Dartmouth are working on a thin polymer applied to existing pacemakers that could harvest the heart's mechanical energy to charge the battery, a study released last month has reported," writes CNET. "Otherwise, the typical lifespan of a pacemaker battery is five to 10 years, according to the nonprofit John Hopkins Medicine.

"'We are now working hard to improve its efficacy and multi-functionality in hope for its commercialization in the next several years,' said Zi Chen, one of the authors of the study."