One of the greatest technological limitations that hinders the adoption and growth of mobile devices is the slow improvements of battery and power technologies. Battery weight and size is a large part of mobile device weight and size. With ever increasing power needs, the batteries are increasingly the weak link in the devices.
Quite a bit of research has been done in this area, and fuel cells are a very promising technology. Now combined with nanotechnology, it seems we may finally be on the verge of a breakthrough that would affect almost every facet of life.
The Washington Times is reporting that
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Developments are under way that could wipe batteries off the face of the Earth. Researchers at the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), a consortium of Oregon educational institutions, say they have made significant breakthroughs in a power source that essentially turns 20 pounds of batteries into 8 ounces of fuel the size of a cigarette lighter.
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In the next 3-5 years, a working prototype is expected. It will be a fuel cell that is part of a portable air conditioner for soldiers which should be the size of a paperback book, and weight less than 4lbs!
The full article is available at
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