We fully expect batteries to follow suit with all other electronic components and grow smaller, thinner, and lighter as time ticks on, but we can't say we say this development coming. A team of engineers at Rice University in Houston, TX has invented paintable batteries. Yes. Batteries that can be painted onto any surface or device. The future is here. 

The researchers broke down all of the components of a lithium-ion battery and converted them into paint. From there, they layered each different paint on top of each other to emulate a traditional battery cell. When complete the painted battery was able to store and dispel energy just like the battery in your laptop. 

So what do you do with spray-on batteries? Well, according to lead researcher Neelam Singh, you can use them on solar panels or to make lightweight energy storage solutions. If the technology gets refined enough to be mainstream and affordable, it could change the home energy game. 

[via The Verge]