Why batteries are holding up tech breakthroughs

Becky

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This is a very interesting read: Why batteries are holding up tech breakthroughs — and what’s happening now

Despite incremental advancements, batteries haven’t changed all that much over the past decade. Major brands like Duracell are investing in better environmental efficiency, and small tweaks that improve storage and performance, but the typical “battery” is still fundamentally the same.

This stagnation in the realm of batteries is putting a cap on several technologies that might otherwise advance forward. So why is it that batteries are struggling to advance, what does it mean for other technologies, and where do we go from here?

It makes some very good points. We are increasingly dependent on batteries but the tech behind them is not advancing as fast as what they power. It all seems to rely on what investors are willing to fund - the next step in electricity storage will surely be expensive, but wouldn't it be worth it...?
 

Ian

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I would love to see a big standardisation and change in batteries and power supplies - technology has moved on a long way in battery technology (and still has a way to go), but quite often devices seem to either churn through AA's or use custom sized Li-ions, when there are already handy batteries like "LiFePO 4" 18650s that are pretty safe and really easy to use. The article doesn't mention LiFePO 4, but it is generally safer than the Li-Ion batteries it mentions (at least from my limited understanding).

Likewise, I would love to see more devices use MicroUSB (or whatever) instead of having custom DC jacks. Thankfully this seems to be the way things are heading, but I've still got so many devices using random PSUs and transformers under the desk.
 

nivrip

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No, you just need bigger batteries............................


Battery.JPG


............. on a backpack.

:D
 
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Dynamo strapped to leg? How about a static collector/converter strapped to body and use Inductive charging?
Or just use really long extension cords? ;)
 

Abraham Andres Luna

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Have you heard about those researchers that made a flexible battery out of aluminum? You could also pierce this battery and it WON'T explode like Li-Ion batts do! :drool:

Have you also heard about the company that figured out how to normalize and digitize electricity! :cool:
See the way they transmit power now is in an erratic wave that wastes energy during transit and use. By normalizing it and making it an even wave they have increased the efficiency by 200%.

And then there are graphene batteries that charge in 7 seconds! :fool:

There is also a proton battery that is environmentally safer.:nod:

Here is a link about the aluminum batteries: https://www.engadget.com/2015/04/06/stanfords-battery-charges-in-one-minute/

Here is a link to the graphene batteries: https://www.cnet.com/news/graphene-flagship-promises-faster-phone-charging-at-mwc-2018/

Link to proton battery: https://techxplore.com/news/2018-03-power-proton-battery-breakthrough.html

I still have to find the link to that company that digitizes electricity. I don't know where I put it.
 

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