Supercapacitors for Workplace Wearables
As a society, we continue to further develop improvements, such as being able to “wear” the technology in our daily work lives. These innovations streamline the ability to communicate and utilize data to make necessary enhancements and applications.
Mixed reality has gained traction in several areas within the recent decade, “virtually” creating a new market. Microsoft has led some of the innovation through the development of the HoloLens. Airbus has then doubled down within the augmented & virtual reality industries by forming partnerships to kick off training and engineering within the manufacturing and production processes using smart glasses. In areas like semiconductors and aerospace manufacturing, parts and components can be expensive and complex; the planning & training is highly advanced and extensive. Augmented reality can supplement and improve these areas by providing endless resources to manipulate as needed.
Although these applications are novel and ground-breaking, they still face a common issue: battery life. At best, the battery life of smart glasses, HoloLens, etc. is closer to the high end of two hours. Extending the life cycle of each battery use will reduce time/ costs wasted in recharging and replacing the batteries necessary for operation.
The supply chain world has profoundly been benefiting from the wide world of wearables. Rufus Labs has designed and developed inventory tracking technology in the forms of gloves, wristlets, and rings for barcode and QR code scanning compared to traditional gun type scanners. The ease of use could lead to higher quality production returns while also improving employee satisfaction. One limitation? Battery life…
“Battery life is, arguably, the biggest pain point in wearables right now. You could certainly make a case for slow apps, or less-than-compelling software, or just plain unattractiveness being the biggest drawback. But those at least have the potential to change. Battery life is an altogether different problem.”
What if, instead of spending time swapping out batteries, awaiting long charge times, or changing equipment (meaning you would have to buy extra), you could simply extend the life of the battery through super unique and innovative complements to the battery?
There has never been a time of greater energy harvesting demand. One critical component to any energy harvesting platform is energy storage capability to go with it, but where will that energy storage component go? Where is there space in the product or system? What will the tradeoff be in terms of design, comfort, functionality, features, or performance? Our flexible supercapacitor technology, the Cable-Based Capacitor, is designed to help engineers add additional energy storage capabilities to their products, without the traditional tradeoffs.
Outstanding products have emerged from conducting research in the harshest of all outdoor environments. It has been heavily concluded that a multi-sensor platform could not only become our greatest tool, but also our most reliable ally. For example, Laird Connectivity has developed an integrated sensor platform capable of withstanding the most extreme environments while continually and reliably transferring sensor data. Combining this robustness with the versatility that flexible energy storage brings would be a beautiful evolution of technology. Imagine the things that we are improving that could be improved by extending the battery life.
Medical mobility that has become a massive industry to greatly benefit from the world of wearables but having to charge devices limits its use.
Various disabilities could be assisted by electrical exoskeletons as its infrastructure. A flexible energy harvesting device would surely bring value to these uses.
Modern physical therapy requires additional training to be supplemented for easier and more satisfactory results. Around the clock data, more energy is needed to meet this demand.
These are just a few of the opportunities enabled by the Cable-based Capacitor (CBC)!
Our flexible and wire-like 3F supercapacitors can help with the power allocation and management in a wide range of workplace and personal applications. Their unique physical design is well matched with the needs of smart wearables across numerous industries.
Our supercapacitors are flexible, durable, and reliable. What are some of the creative ways to incorporate them in technology that would improve your daily life? How would you use a CBC in your next design?