Energy

Batteries

Find innovative solutions for design engineering challenges in battery management systems. Discover the latest battery system applications in wearables, autonomous vehicles, and other electronic systems.

Stories

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Upper Body Robotic Exoskeleton

This lightweight, portable garment is designed for active shoulder and elbow positioning.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Method Tests Microscopic Aeronautical Materials

This process breaks the temperature barrier in small-scale materials testing.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Products of Tomorrow

Robotic exoskeletons, a breath-test for cancer, and plastic-eating enzymes are Products of Tomorrow.

Articles: Energy

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Sustainable Technologies/Future Energy Category Winner — Flash Graphene

A new process can turn bulk quantities of just about any carbon source into valuable graphene flakes.

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Electronics/Sensors/IoT Category Winner – PrintIC Flexible Circuits

With PrintIC technology, sensors, actuators, energy supplies, and ICs can be printed on the same substrate, avoiding assembly cost.

News: Automotive

Thin Layer Protects Battery and Allows Cold Charging

Researchers in the Battery and Energy Storage Technology Center at Penn State University are searching for a reliable, quick-charging, cold-weather battery for automobiles. They say the...

News: Transportation

New Battery Electrolyte May Boost Performance of EVs

A new lithium-based electrolyte invented by Stanford University scientists could pave the way for the next generation of battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). Their electrolyte design...

Blog: Energy

'Soil Fuel Cells' Support Water Treatment in Brazil

The soil microbial fuel cells produce energy to filter enough water for a person’s daily needs, with potential to increase scale.

Briefs: Energy

Method Turns Fruit Peels into New Batteries

Orange peels are used to extract and reuse metals from lithium-ion batteries to create new batteries.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Self-Heating Battery Enables Quick Recharging of Electric Vehicles

This battery would enable a 10-minute electrical vehicle recharge.

Briefs: Materials

Using Silicon for Battery Anodes

A nanostructure design lends extraordinary strength to a promising storage ingredient.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Battery Improvement Enhances Electric Flight and Long-Range Electric Cars

The new battery technology could improve electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and supercharge safe, long-range electric cars.

Briefs: Aerospace

Bio-Inspired Wing Design for Small Drones

Taking a cue from birds and insects, the wing design helps drones fly more efficiently and makes them more robust to atmospheric turbulence.

Special Reports: Electronics & Computers

RF & Microwave Electronics - October 2020

In this compendium of recent articles from the editors of Aerospace & Defense Technology and Tech Briefs, read about how advances in RF electronics are enabling new applications in space and ground...

Blog: Transportation

New Composite Energizes the Electric Vehicle Market

A new composite from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) increases the electrical current capacity of copper wires, providing a new material that can be scaled for use in ultra-efficient, power-dense electric vehicle traction motors.

Question of the Week: Robotics, Automation & Control

Will 'Biomorphic' Batteries Support a Future of Tiny Robots?

A Tech Briefs TV video highlighted a rechargeable zinc battery from the University of Michigan that integrates into the structure of a robot to provide much more energy. The “biomorphic” battery, according to researchers, could provide 72x more energy for robots.

Application Briefs: Test & Measurement

Smart Sensors for Hazardous Areas

Smart sensors for hazardous areas monitor essential assets, such as motors and pumps.

Articles: Internet of Things

Long-life Batteries for the IIoT

Choosing the right battery will save trouble and expense in the long run.

Special Reports: Transportation

Power Electronics - September 2020

This compendium of recent articles from the editors of Tech Briefs and Aerospace & Defense Technology looks at the latest advances in power electronics and energy storage for a range of applications...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Soft Robotic Insect Survives Being Flattened by a Flyswatter

The ultra-light robotic insect can be folded or crushed, yet continues to move.

Articles: Motion Control

Wiegand Wire: Energy Harvesting and More

With the emergence of a new generation of ultra-efficient electronic chips, the Wiegand technology is showing significant promise, especially in the exciting area of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).