| Last week, I wrote about the introduction of low | | | | Laboratories. The company said it will unveil its line |
| power Atom processors by Intel. The new family | | | | of method fuel cells at a trade show in Germany |
| - which initially is aimed at mobile Internet devices | | | | later this month and that it is working with |
| (MIDs) but clearly is part of the company's overall | | | | companies who expect to release products based |
| road map - is an important step in reducing power | | | | on the technology this year. |
| consumption on mobile devices. | | | | Indeed, the great interest in this market is clearly |
| The amount of juice a device consumes is a | | | | shown in this listing of companies that are |
| looming problem: The increasing demand for | | | | expected to attend a conference focusing on |
| power threatens to outstrip the devices' ability to | | | | small fuel cells for commercial and military |
| provide it. Luckily, there are multiple responses - | | | | applications. The promo says that more than 100 |
| some quite innovative - to the challenge. More | | | | companies are set to attend the meeting, which is |
| efficient processors, such as Atom, is one. | | | | set for Atlanta from April 30 to May 2. There will |
| Another is better power management on devices. | | | | be a pre-conference symposium on creating |
| A third response is more careful operator use. | | | | synergies between lithium ion batteries and fuel |
| Fourth - and perhaps the most promising - is | | | | cells. |
| more potent power sources. | | | | There isn't too much meat in this Drexel |
| More power can be provided by better batteries, | | | | University press release that details research |
| nascent fuel cell technology or a combination of | | | | being done by Professor Yossef Eladb, but it is |
| the two. A recent interesting CNET piece is based | | | | worth a look for two reasons. The first is that it |
| on an interview with Peng Lim, the president and | | | | offers an accessible description of how direct |
| CEO of MTI Micro. The story says that the | | | | methanol fuel cells work. The idea is to mix fuel |
| company's methanol fuel cells are instantaneously | | | | and air to create electricity, heat and water. The |
| rechargeable, though it doesn't compare the run | | | | release also says that a fuel cell operating at 20 |
| time of a fuel cell to the type of lithium ion | | | | percent capacity doubles the power density of |
| battery commonly used in mobile devices. The | | | | lithium-ion batteries. The fact is intriguing and |
| sense is, however, that it is greater and growing. | | | | worth noting. It would be helpful, however, if the |
| He says that during 2008, MTI will gear up | | | | release offered context such as the current state |
| manufacturing capacity and offer products next | | | | of the art in fuel cell efficiency - is the 20 percent |
| year. The story describes how the technology, | | | | capacity the norm? - and described the difficulties |
| which seems greener than batteries, works. | | | | involved in improving that efficiency. |
| Indications are that the initial products will be | | | | Adequately powering portable devices is a major |
| aimed at professional-level cameras and cell | | | | challenge, simply because failure will have severe |
| phones. | | | | ramifications for the entire mobile sector. The |
| MTI, of course, is far from the only company | | | | good news - and there seems to be plenty of it - |
| researching power cells. Last week, Antig | | | | is that an army of researchers is attacking the |
| Technology received certification for its | | | | problem from a number of directions. This |
| H2PowerChip Stack from Underwriters | | | | suggests that adequate solutions will be found. |