The Creators behind the Magic
Imprint Energy, based in Oakland, California, is a young battery startup created by two U.C. Berkeley PHD students Christine Ho and Brooks Kincaid. The company was founded in 2010 and now has 8 employees in total. These bright students are utilizing research that was created at UCB to develop a battery that can remove the constraint that gadget makers are currently experiencing – with the standard lithium ion battery. Imprint Energy is hopeful that its newest invention could be what everyone has been waiting for.
A New Era of Wearable Electronics on the Rise
Take a look at your phone (that is probably somewhere next to you) and imagine it being as thin and flexible as the credit card in your wallet. Now imagine a Nike FuelBand that is the size of your index finger (FuelBand pictured below). Doesn’t seem possible does it? Think again. Tiny, thin, and odd shaped items could be made if batteries existed that were slim, flexible, and powerful enough to run the gadgets. Without batteries like this, there can be no improvement in modern tech design.
Image: Google
Fortunately, Imprint Energy may have the answer the world has been waiting for. Batteries that consist of zinc (not lithium) and have screen printing technology. According to the company website, they have started creating small batches of the “ultra-thin, energy-dense, flexible, and low cost rechargeable batteries for pilot customers.” With these types of batteries there are endless possibilities to the “wearables” that could be created.
Current Barriers for Lithium Batteries and Upsides to Zinc Batteries
Devin MacKenzie, CEO of Imprint Energy, stated that Lithium batteries require a certain type of packaging to conceal the highly reactive lithium inside the battery (to protect the environment). As you may know, lithium is highly flammable and because of this there is much concern when it comes to ensuring the safety of such batteries. Since lithium batteries need to be carefully enclosed, the thick packaging can make it difficult for companies to integrate them into slim gadgets such as tablets, Macbook Air’s, or iPad’s (since they are not pliable).
Zinc on the other hand requires much less packaging and isn’t highly reactive to the environment; allowing the possibility for a flexible battery. Zinc batteries can be made as small as a few hair follicles on your head. Tiny batteries like this could open the world to new possibilities (like small digital labels or detector stickers on food and clothing). Zinc batteries are known to be safer for the environment and even your body. This is great news, because you probably wouldn’t want to place a lithium battery inside your body (with a heart device for example) because it could leak into your system. Not a pleasant thought. Imprint Energy recently raised seed funding from Dow Chemical and CIA fund In-Q-Tel. With these funds they are well on their way to creating wearable tech of the future and safe implantable devices.
Printable Batteries Could Become the New Norm
Imprint isn’t stopping at just a safer battery – they are also developing a printable battery. Using standard screen printing technology, the batteries can be molded to whatever shape you want. Of course, if you want a custom shape you will have to pay a pretty penny for it. The printable machines can manufacture 100 cells per day (a sufficient amount for potential customers to test on their own gadgets). The company has stated that in two to three years they will likely scale up manufacturing to a large commercial scale, but likely will not build its own factories. They would like to work with a manufacturing partner or license their technology.
Photo from the company website of the material used to print these ultra-thin batteries.
The Future of Wearables
Imprint has their eyes on the wearable electronics market, for both consumers (like Nike’s FuelBand) and health sectors (such as heart monitors, etc.). This type of battery could benefit the wearables industry because of its thin and moldable capabilities; and its safer materials. We could very well experience a whole new line of wearable tech in the near future.
Do you currently use wearable electronics? If so, what gadgets do you enjoy? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @AeroCom_Inc!
Source: ImprintEnergy.com