Wearables may soon have much better battery life thanks to Microsoft

The problem with wearable gadgets like fitness trackers and smartwatches is that, due to their need to be small enough to rest comfortably on your wrist, their batteries are pretty weak. However, researchers at Microsoft have developed a new RAM-based system that could potentially boost the battery life of wearable devices without having to get a new battery. 

Wearable tech may start staying on longer. As part of Microsoft’s WearDrive project, researchers have found a way to increase the battery life of wearable technology, such as fitness trackers, using a RAM-based system that doesn’t rely on a new battery. The improved battery life is made possible by pairing the wearable with a smartphone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The wearable’s more energy intensive operations are subsequently processed on the smartphone, prolonging the its battery life. The WearDrive energy saving system was tested on an Android phone, with the researchers noting a “negligible” impact on the smartphone’s battery life and an improvement of over three times in energy conservation for the wearable. The paired wearable also experienced more than eight times faster than normal application runtimes. The WearDrive system conveniently deactivates when it’s not in reach of a paired smartphone. So you’re more than welcome to go on a workout without taking your phone.