X
Innovation

Why smartphone batteries could soon last weeks, not hours

Could a student project revolutionize the electronics industry?
Written by Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer
9754012931b19806b32cb.jpg

The battery life of our mobile devices, while improved within the last few years, can still prove a problem for data-hungry consumers and those who are on the road.

Often, a smartphone's battery will last several days unless you are constantly connected to the Web, using apps or make a vast number of phone calls. It's no surprise that batteries are struggling, considering the high-definition screens, power-taxing apps and advanced features that many smartphones now come equipped with. The issue remains a challenge for tech firms to overcome, but there may be hope in the form of a Harvard student's invention -- a "super battery" capable of holding a vast amount of energy.

Harvard student Eesha Khare has developed an award-winning battery, the "supercapacitor energy storage device." Tiny in stature and manufactured from carbon fiber and metal oxides, the device uses nanotechnology to not only charge mobile devices at a rapid pace, but also to hold energy for far longer.

Last year, Khare received the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award for the invention. Despite being approached by Google, Khare has so far refused to sell her technology, stating that she has a goal of "charging a mobile device in less than a minute."

However, Khare's invention is not the only solution to fading battery life out there. Smartphone manufacturer Yota Devices recently devised a solution which uses e-ink displays around the back of smartphones -- so users can complete basic tasks using the less power-taxing display, while reserving the front for more energy consuming tasks.

Read on: Recombu | BBC

Related:

Image credit: Flickr


This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

Editorial standards