The new i-BMS Battery Management System from Lithium Balance, acquired by Sensata earlier in the year, is a cell chemistry agnostic, compact, integrated BMS developed for the cost-optimized mass-production of applications up to 60 V, such as two and three-wheelers, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and robotics. The i-BMS is a long-term solution for customers who […]
Running robots on ambient energy
The first FAQs in this series have identified specific use cases and applications where robots can use batteries, fuel cells, and even supercapacitors as their prime power source. Are there applications for robots that can benefit from using energy harvesting and ambient energy as their prime power source? Yes. For example, small nanorobots can use…
Where do supercapacitors fit in robots?
So far, this series of FAQs has looked at battery options for mobile robots, the most common powering option for robots, and the benefits of fuel cell power robot platforms were reviewed, including extended run times and faster recharge rates compared with battery power. Supercapacitors (also called ultracapacitors) bring another unique set of benefits to…
Fuel-cell-powered robot platforms
This series of FAQs is looking at various technologies being used to power robots. The first FAQ focused on “battery options for mobile robots.” Following this look at fuel cell-powered robot platforms will be FAQs considering “where do supercapacitors fit in robots?” and “running robots on ambient energy.” This FAQ will begin by looking at…
Battery options for mobile robots
Batteries are the most common power source for mobile robots. In today’s designs, lead-acid batteries have been mostly replaced by lithium chemistries. The two most common lithium chemistries in these applications are variations on lithium-ion (Li-ion), and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). This FAQ will begin by comparing the performance capabilities of Li-ion and LiFePO4 batteries.…
GlidePath and Renewance partner on battery recycling and repurposing
Utility-scale energy storage project developer GlidePath Power Solutions has partnered with Renewance to advance battery recycling and repurposing efforts for the energy storage industry. Renewance is an industrial battery life cycle management company and a winner of the Department of Energy Battery Recycling Prize. Renewance provides battery decommissioning, collection, re-use, and recycling services to the rapidly growing energy storage…
How Siemens automated maritime battery production
Siemens’ maritime battery production line in Norway has eight configurable robot cells and seven AGVs for handling inter-cell logistics.
WiBotic Gets a Jolt to Wireless Battery Charging with $5.7M Series A Round
WiBotic, a Seattle company that specializes in advanced wireless charging and power optimization solutions for the rapidly expanding ecosystem of aerial, mobile and marine robots, today announced it has secured $5.7 million in Series A funding.
Researcher wins prestigious award for battery research
Dr. Neeraj Sharma, from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, has earned the Early Career Researcher of the Year award in physical sciences. The award was given for Sharma’s work in lithium-ion batteries found in electronic devices, electric vehicles, and the grid. He was also honored for his study of next-generation battery…
Better battery management: New technique measures electrochemical impedance of multi-cell stacked lithium-ion batteries
Researchers at Panasonic Corp. and Ritsumeikan University say they have developed a new battery management technology that measures a battery’s electrochemical impedance, which is an effective method of evaluating the residual energy of lithium-ion batteries in use. The technique is expected to be applied in applications characterized by numerous battery cells stack in series. Panasonic […]