matrix industries, a startup company, has announced the powerwatch, a smartwatch that uses body heat to stay powered up, so that it never requires the battery to be charged or changed. it features a power meter that displays the electrical power that the body is generating.

the powerwatch uses body heat to charge its battery. (youtube)

the watch is being used by matrix industries as proof-of-concept for its thermoelectric generator technology, according to an article on gizmodo. the watch draws body heat from the skin, while the top side is composed of a metal housing and crown, as well as heat sinks that help keep the watch cool.

as long as there is a temperature difference then the thermoelectric generators stay powered up. when the watch is taken off it will go into low-power mode with an internal battery that maintains the correct time and date until it is worn again.

while it has features such as bluetooth connection to a phone to ensure the correct time zone or a customizable watch face, it is not as functional as an apple watch or the android wear. however, the fitness tracker is accurate when keeping tabs on calories burned during a workout. 

the watch is available through an indiegogo crowd sourcing campaign that recently kicked off after five years of development. it is selling for $119 and is expected to ship by early summer 2017.

for more information about the powerwatch, check out the video below: