This article was originaly posted at Howzzit.com.
As technology advances, one of the basic components of a machine that has changed the most is the battery. Whether that’s a car battery, a phone battery, a laptop battery, or batteries in many household items — the trend is to provide longer lasting life and a smaller, lighter battery. So what will the future of batteries be?
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| Lithium battery |
MIT researchers are in the process of developing a lithium-ion battery that uses a harmless virus to create a lightweight multi-purpose battery. Lithium powered batteryThe idea is that the M13 bacteriophage, a harmless virus, can change the battery so that it can be molded into multiple shapes or even woven into clothing or fibers. These types of batteries could power high-tech devices like radios, GPS devices, and more. This type of technology would be especially handy in a military environment, which is why the US military is supposed to be one of the first organisations to access the technology. Eventually, they may be able to use this type of battery in smart phones or tablets as well. One of the other benefits of this type of battery is that it is relatively friendly to the environment.
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| Nokia Morph |
Nokia MorphAnother possibility is a self-charging battery which resets as you shake it. Nokia is apparently working on a battery that takes kinetic energy, like the energy you expend while shaking your phone, and converting that into usable power. In effect this would create a rechargeable battery that you can “re-fuel” while you are out and about. This battery would use the same type of technology that is already in use in some types of kinetically powered wristwatches. In scientific terms, Nokia plans to use the forces of acceleration and rotation that most phones receive daily as a method of recharging them at least in part, though they have not yet found a way to fully recharge them this way.
Another highly anticipated and promising technology is the fuel cell. A fuel cell uses an electrochemical reaction to produce energy. It converts hydrogen and oxygen into water (effectively combining the two as it works) and produces electricity from the water. These may recharge themselves through the constant flow of chemicals, where traditional batteries must be discarded, or recharged in other manners. These may not be widely available for another decade or so, but don’t seem to have many negative effects so far. Eventually, the hope is to not only use this sort of technology in small household devices, but also in cars and other automobiles.
Electric vehicles are already becoming more and more popular, though they do tend to have a small limit of driving time before needing to be recharged. However, companies are exploring the option of creating switch stations, which would replace traditional gas stations and allow drivers to swap out their battery for a fully charged one. Private companies have already raised almost $1 billion to research this type of solution.
Many of these technologies will not be readily available to the public very soon, but you can use rechargeable options where they exist to reduce waste and protect the environment. Having to buy batteries frequently may be a thing of the past; the cost involved in using rechargeable technology is negligent compared to the potential cost savings.
Images courtesy: Lithium battery — MIT website. Nokia morph –Nokia website.
Author:
Karl Stockton
on behalf of Kanetix.
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