Imagine being able to power your laptop computer with a battery that's
hard-wired inside (you never see it), never needs to be replaced and is the
size of your fingernail. Or a cell phone battery that will out-last the phone
itself and is smaller than one of the letters on the phone's keypad. And, for
both applications, the cost could be less than what we pay for a AA alkaline
battery today.
Our research shows that our technology could eventually be capable of doing
these things. However, the initial applications our company will pursue are
shown below:
Hearing Aid Batteries
Battery manufacturers like to say that hearing aid batteries have become
standardized across the industry. At first glance, one might not agree,
considering there are five basic sizes
(#675, 312, 13, 10 and 5) that measure
between 5.8 and 11.9 mm in diameter
(approximately 1/4" to 1/2") and varying
thicknesses. Still, the industry has color
coded the batteries to make it easier to
identify the type the consumer needs and
they all provide 1.4V (and vary between
about 35 to 610 mAh).
Automotive Remotes
The remote that sends the
signal to lock and unlock your
car door, as well as turn your
alarm on or off requires a
battery.
Sensors
The device pictured above,
manufactured by H2scan, is
installed at a plant run by the
US Department of Energy in
Idaho. Remotely placed
sensors need reliable
batteries (rather than hard
wired power) power and,
coupled with a radio tag, can
eliminate the need for long,
difficult and costly wiring.
Chip Memory Backup
Real time memory backup is
commonplace in most
computers, cellular phones,
PDAs and other electronic
devices. However, these
require low power batteries to
maintain the data when the
device is turned off. The
Enable IPC battery will be
ideal for this application.
Our technology represents nothing short of a revolution in low-end portable power. And we expect it
to be available within a couple years.
Copyright 2005, Enable IPC. All rights reserved.
May not be reproduced without the express, written permission of Enable IPC.
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But, what if the batteries were installed permanently and out-lasted the hearing aid device itself? This
is what our technology portends -- the idea of having a device that provides the same power levels of
current products, yet being permanently installed in the device and taking up much less space than the
current battery technologies.
The battery could be quickly recharged, rather than replaced -- saving the consumer the cost and
inconvenience of purchasing and storing new batteries.
Radio (RFID) Tags
A radio frequency identification tag (also known as RFID tag or radio tag) is a tiny device that can
contain digitally encoded information coupled with antennae that allows the transmission and receipt of
radio signals. The devices usually have an adhesive on the back and are used primarily for tracking,
but also for inventory control, data transmittal, security and many other things. According to
Wikipedia.org, some of these specific uses include:
a couple years ago, Wal Mart made headlines when they announced a new inventory system that
would require their suppliers to install radio tags on the merchandise. This would mean simplified
inventory control and significant cost-savings for the company. Privacy activists became concerned
about the tracking ability of these RFID tags, however.
Still, the RFID market is huge and growing as the devices shrink. RFID batteries allow the devices to
be read from greater distances and allow the devices to be re-written and modified. The keys to using
batteries have to do with cost and size -- both of which are addressed by the Enable IPC device.
Smart Cards
"Smart" cards are credit card-like devices except, instead of a magnetic
strip on the back, they have a chip built into the card itself that holds
digitally-encoded information. There are a number of uses for smart
cards, including identification, banking information, mass transit
payments, accumulated points for purchases, etc.
Smart cards are much more popular in Europe and the Pacific Rim than the United States. In 2003,
there were 2.02 billion smart cards shipped and that number is expected to grow to 3.11 billion by
2008 (World Smart Card Markets, Frost andSullivan). The idea of a single card that allows for
identification, banking and other transactions is very attractive to a number of people and institutions.
But, if you add a battery, a smart card can become absolutely brilliant! Check out the possibilities
below:
With a battery, the number of things one can do with a smart card (not to mention the security
enhancements available) are significantly increased. There are a number of companies advocating the
use of smart cards that are upgraded with power technologies. The biggest barriers to powered smart
cards are, again, battery size and cost -- both of which will be addressed by the Enable IPC device.
Other Applications . . .
MEMs / NEMs
That is, micro-electrical-mechanical and nano-electrical-mechanical systems. They are, to a real extent,
a complete system-on-a-chip and hold great promise for a number of applications (including IC and
micro-device fabrication, among others). These machines must be powered and a micro-battery such
as the Enable IPC device could be the ideal power source.
Military ID
Embedding micro-devices into dog tags worn by military personnel that contain tracking, medical and
other information could save lives in battlefields. Using micro-batteries to provide power to these
devices could significantly expand their capability.
-- animal / pet tracking
-- automotive anti-theft systems
-- baggage tracking
-- building access
-- libraries
-- pallets
-- retail stores
-- sensors
-- tollbooths (e.g., California's FasTrack system)
and many, many other applications
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without a battery
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with a battery
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Finance
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ATM, credit cards
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Bank transactions, real-time updated
balances, etc.
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Identification / security
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Password protected
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Biometric identification (e.g.,
fingerprint / voice recognition / retinal
identification / facial recognition, etc.)
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Loyalty systems
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Points earned
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Active data for balances
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Access
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Buildings, cellular phones, web
uploads, computers, satellite TV,
etc.
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Transportation
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Tokens
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Airline, train and mass transit tickets
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