Battery developer Ilika has signed a 10-year deal for Cirtec Medical to manufacture Stereax batteries in Lowell, Massachusetts. The two medtech suppliers announced their partnership on the millimeter-scale, solid-state batteries in January. Now, Ilika and Cirtec Medical say they have “concluded contractual negotiations” with the decade-long manufacturing license. The ultrathin, rechargeable Stereax batteries can enable…
Wearable and implantable medical devices tap humans as a power source
By Brian Santo for Mouser Wearable medical devices and implants are becoming more prominent in a wide range of applications such as health monitoring devices and biomedical implants, which provide continuous measurements of biomarkers and medical diagnostics. Based on growth of the elderly population and insights garnered from the pandemic, the shift to the development…
EV battery tests involve lots of power
In a video, EE World spoke with a power-supply applications engineer about why RV batteries use such high voltages and how to test them. Batteries are perhaps the most expensive component of an electric vehicle. Typically producing 800 V to 900 V, batteries deliver the power needed move the vehicle. Of course, EV batteries need…
How does MBSE work for EV and stationary battery energy storage systems?
Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is comprehensive. The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) defines MBSE as the “formalized application of modeling to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification, and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases.” It’s especially applicable to complex systems of systems like…
Resonetics and Resonant Link team up on wirelessly rechargeable implants
Resonetics and Resonant Link are collaborating on integrated power components for medical implants, the two medtech suppliers recently announced. The partnership will combine Resonetics’ experience in rechargeable batteries with Resonant Link’s wireless charging expertise. Both companies sell off-the-shelf power products as well as custom-designed components for specific applications. “Resonant Link’s next-generation wireless charging technology strongly…
How is functional safety defined & implemented for batteries in EVs and BESS?
Li-ion batteries can store large amounts of energy, and they can support high rates of power delivery. They are the preferred energy storage technology for EVs and large battery energy storage systems (BESS). But if not properly managed, they can also present safety hazards. That makes functional safety a critical consideration when designing large Li-ion…
Battery-life-boosting ICs extend life of non-rechargeable Li-ion coin cells
Nexperia has just introduced the NBM7100 and NBM5100, revolutionary new types of battery life boosting ICs designed to extend the life of a typical non-rechargeable lithium coin cell battery by up to 10x compared to competing solutions while also increasing its peak output current capability by up to 25x compared to what a typical coin…
How does vehicle-to-grid technology work to improve sustainability?
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is often touted as one key to a more sustainable energy infrastructure. Like other areas where technology strongly impinges on economic and social interactions, however, the reality is complex and nuanced. Battery chargers can be a particularly daunting technical problem when implementing V2G. The charger must be bidirectional and offer high efficiency.…
How do liquid metal batteries fit in EV and BESS designs?
Liquid metal batteries are being developed primarily for battery energy storage system (BESS) systems but may find future applications in electric vehicles (EVs) and wearables and portable devices. The first commercial BESS using a liquid metal battery is expected to become operational soon, but the longer-term outlook for large-scale market penetration remains cloudy. The first…
What’s the difference between batteries for power tools?
There’s more variety available in power tool batteries than might be expected. Of course, various rechargeable Li chemistries dominate, and battery management systems (BMS) are critical, but there are also power tool batteries that can automatically switch their output voltage to suit the needs of specific tools; thermal management can be important for both chargers…