Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology say they have developed nanowires that generate electricity when they vibrate.

Just as the quartz crystal in a watch, the zinc-oxide nanowires are piezoelectric, which means bending causes them to produce an electrical charge.

Only 20 billionths to 40 billionths of a meter in diameter, the scientists say each fiber partners with millions of others to form a nanogenerator capable of producing significant amounts of energy from the slightest activity.

According to the researchers, motions from body movement, the stretching of muscles and even the flow of liquids should be able to generate electric charges in the wires — perfect for implantable medical devices, smart apparel and a variety of other applications.

Georgia Tech physicist Zhong Lin Wang and graduate student Jinhui Song report their findings in the April 14 issue of the journal Science.