PERTH, Australia, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Strategic Elements Ltd (ASX: SOR) advises that an Energy Ink™ program targeting what it believes may be the world’s first breath-powered phone call has commenced.
- Energy Ink™ is a printable material that generates electricity from moisture. While most development has focused on ambient moisture in the air, a recent separate investigation into alternative moisture sources within packaged systems has produced significant new findings.
- Initial comparative testing of prototype breath-optimised Energy Ink™ systems showed that a single breath produced over 1,000% more energy than comparable systems operating solely from ambient moisture in the air.
- This has led to a staged breath-powered demonstration program targeting the boot-up of a mobile phone and completion of a phone call powered solely by moisture.
- Energy Ink™ development is no longer limited to passive ambient humidity and is expanding into engineered moisture systems, with the mobile phone call serving as a visible demonstrator rather than a commercial product design.
Engineered Moisture Demonstration
A Nokia 235 4G feature phone (2024 model) has been selected as the reference device due to its lower power requirements and commercial availability. All energy required for the demonstration is intended to be supplied solely from moisture rather than mains electricity or residual battery charge.
Stage One: Energy Ink™ demonstrator design
Stage Two: Integrated energy generation, storage and operation
Stage Three: Boot-up and completion of a mobile phone call powered solely by moisture energy
Stage One activities are intended for Q2 2026, with Stage Two expected to commence in early Q3 2026 and timing of Stage Three dependent on earlier program results.
The staged structure of the program is expected to provide multiple opportunities for technical advancement and shareholder updates.
Engineered Moisture Prototyping
Cells were fabricated and placed into sealed units and a single breath was introduced. Initial testing on prototype 2cm x 2cm Energy Ink™ cells approximately 2mm thick produced approximately 7mWh of energy from a single cell at the minimum operating voltage of 0.3V required for the breath demonstrator. The initial testing period was 24 hours. Comparative laboratory testing demonstrated materially higher energy generation than comparable systems operating solely from ambient moisture in the air, including observed increases exceeding 1,000%.
Approximately 18mWh of energy is required to power-up the phone and complete a short-duration phone call following an energy accumulation period. Initial energy profiling indicates the energy budget may be met using a prototype Energy Ink™ system integrated with commercial power-management electronics.
Optimisation activities addressing moisture control, energy accumulation time, system integration and packaging design are expected to form part of future development activities beyond the initial demonstration program.
Development Team
The technology is being developed by 100% owned Australian Advanced Materials Pty Ltd in collaboration with Professor Dewei Chu at the University of New South Wales. Over multiple years, the Company has collaborated with organisations including VTT Finland, PrintoCent, CSIRO and portfolio company Stealth Technologies Pty Ltd. Strategic Elements believes it is building one of the world’s leading teams focused on moisture energy systems.
Energy Ink™ development has been supported through multiple competitive Federal research grants awarded under independent technical assessment, including an ARC Industry Fellowship awarded to Professor Dewei Chu for a $2.8 million project and a $1.6 million ARC Linkage Grant for wearable electronics and moisture electric generation with UNSW.
Concurrent Programs
Energy Ink™ development continues across multiple concurrent programs. Over 2,000 long-duration low-power prototype cells suited to sensor applications have been fabricated, with some operating for more than 4 months under laboratory conditions. Engineering work into larger-scale moisture energy systems is also ongoing.
Energy Ink™ cell printing
Energy Ink™ under development
Company Comment – Charles Murphy, Managing Director
“We are still unlocking the science behind moisture energy, but we wanted to introduce a significant new engineered moisture pathway through a demonstration that everyone can understand. The science is constantly evolving, continuing to reshape what moisture energy systems may ultimately achieve. We believe the team is emerging as a global leader in moisture energy systems within a field where the design space remains open and early opportunities still exist.”
Strategic Elements Ltd
ASX-listed Strategic Elements backs early-stage Australian innovation — where a single result can change everything™. Expansion of new project sourcing and evaluation activities has become a major focus during 2026 as Strategic Elements seeks to identify and back Australian innovation where early advances can have an outsized impact.