Flexible Battery Bends to Fit, Works When Cut
As mobile devices get smaller and more bendable, the batteries that power them need to keep up. At Computex 2014, we had a chance to try one of ProLogium's FPC Li-Ceramic Battery (FLCB) sheets, which can fit into a wristband or work even if you cut parts of it up or puncture holes through it. This new, flexible battery material is already being used in one charging case and could soon power a new generation of wearable gadgets.
Slimmer than a business card and just as bendable, the battery is just 0.36mm (0.014 inches) thick, and can be cut into any shape to fit device parts. One prototype we saw had the battery mounted in the strap of a smartwatch. The watch strap-sized battery was just about 300-mAh, which depending on the type of use could be insufficient for a day's use. Like lithium-ion batteries the FLCB is rechargeable.
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ProLogium's reps told us that the battery can be stacked in layers on top of each other to offer more power. A 6.29 x 8.89-inch sized sheet of the FLCB will pack 1,050 mAh, while a 4.1 x 0.98-inch one offers 45 mAh. A card-sized, multi-layer FLCB setup is already in the Power Jacket Flip case for the HTC One Max where it carries some 1,150 mAh of juice while retaining a sleek profile, although it's not as slim as a single layer on its own.
Even more impressive, the FLCB will continue to work when you cut it. Its solid-state ceramic electrolytes keep it from leaking when damaged. We watched as a ProLogium rep hooked a sample FLCB up to some LED bulbs, then took a pair of scissors to the battery and slice away a part of it. The bulbs never flickered and remained lit after the battery was cut. This could mean a safer power supply for your devices all around.
We're really excited to see the thin, light and flexible form factors that FLCB enables. Although the battery's not slated to power any devices other than the Power Jacket yet, we expect that many manufacturers will be keen to use it.
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