The Future of Batteries: Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Wearable Batteries
Published time: 2017-1-15 8:26:50, Publisher: Green Energy Battery Co., Ltd
At present, wearable devices are developing rapidly, and the forms become diversified, such as watches, wristbands, glasses, socks, clothes, and so on. This year, the pace of wearable technology is particularly evident, because more and more people have begun to accept wearable equipment. However, compared to the rapid innovation of wearable equipment, wearable battery development seems to be relatively slow. Although most wearable devices use ultra-low power BLE technology (Bluetooth low energy technology), users still need to charge frequently to ensure that the device is fully charged.
For wearable equipment manufacturers, the provision of efficient wearable batteries is an issue that needs to be addressed; and from the point of view of the wearable designer, they are also looking forward to having high-quality batteries in order to attract more Many consumers prefer to use their equipment. This article will be aimed at the different types of wearable batteries, from the advantages and limitations of two aspects of in-depth analysis:
Energy collection
Energy harvesting is the process of acquiring external energy and converting these external energies into electron energy. External energy sources include kinetic energy (motion, vibration, rotation), solar energy (solar energy), thermal energy, piezoelectricity (using excess energy from motion), and even radio waves. For an article on energy harvesting, please click here.
Advantage:
Energy harvesting can help wearable devices become more independent, at least without the need for over-reliance on external power supply.
Solar energy can be perfect fit with smart clothing, because this way can absorb energy from the sun, and direct use.
Thermoelectric energy harvesting can provide a solution for devices that are directly attached to the skin, such as smart warmers. This energy source can often provide high energy.
Lossless energy can be generated when you are exercising.
Disadvantages:
The energy generated by the piezoelectric method is relatively small.
The kinetic energy generated by the movement, can be effectively transformed very little.
Lithium Ion Battery
Compared to the past, nickel-cadmium batteries, lithium-ion battery has finally "occupied" the vast majority of the market, in general, manufacturers will lithium-ion battery manufacturing coin shape, popularity is also high, ordinary street store Can be purchased; wide range of applications, calculators, wearable heart rate monitor can be used. However, for those lithium-ion batteries used in specialty and wearable devices, it is usually the smaller size of the coin cell (such as the CR1225). There is also a more popular lithium-ion battery is a bag of batteries, it will contain a bunch of batteries, and then can be placed in a plastic bag or polymer bag inside. The battery pack is very portable, as it can fit into almost any small pocket.
Advantage:
Lithium-ion battery is very small, and the quality is very light.
Lithium-ion batteries require only minor maintenance and are very costly.
The overwhelming majority of lithium-ion batteries can be discarded because they have little damage to the environment.
Lithium-ion batteries are durable.
Disadvantages:
Lithium-ion batteries will be the smaller the smaller the amount of stored power.
Lithium-ion batteries are vulnerable products, in order to safe use of the circuit need to be effective protection.
Subject to aging problems.
Changes are often required at the manufacturing stage.
Bagged lithium-ion batteries are at risk of explosion, because the battery and the bags may be generated between the gas can cause an explosion.
Thin film battery
Thin film TV is a very thin battery. This rechargeable battery and lithium-ion battery technology is very similar to the use. Foreign media has published an article on thin-film battery article, more details can click here. But here, we are more focused on the advantages and disadvantages of thin-film batteries in these two areas.
Advantage:
Thin-film batteries have been developed in a planar form, which can be applied to thinner wearable devices such as electronic skin devices or certain measurable wearable devices.
They can be said to be super-compact version of the battery.
Although the price is low, but it can support high energy density.
Can be used for any purpose according to different purposes
Very safe
Disadvantages:
The volume of thin-film batteries determines their power capacity. Therefore, if they want to get the same amount of electricity as a button battery, they need to extend a larger area.
Because they are very thin, so the power consumption will be faster, so frequent charge to ensure long-term use, which makes the use of thin-film batteries become more limited, can only be used in some small wearable devices.
Graphene batteries
Graphene cell is the use of lithium-ion in the graphene surface and the electrode between a large number of rapid shuttle movement characteristics, the development of a new energy battery. Graphene is from the graphite material stripped out, composed of carbon atoms only one layer of the thickness of two-dimensional crystal. It can be said that this material is very exciting, many scientists are in the research and development of this technology is expected to wave the next wave of the battery will be led by graphene batteries.
Advantage:
Graphene cells are considered to be the highest energy density in all battery types today.
Graphene batteries also have a high capacity storage capacity.
Disadvantages:
Compared to other types of batteries, graphene batteries are more expensive.
Is still in development stage.
In the next five years, the number of wearable devices is expected to show explosive growth, which means that smaller, longer battery life will be a substantial increase in demand. We can also predict, the higher the degree of intelligence equipment, the pursuit of energy efficiency will be higher. According to the current market, the use of a variety of wearable equipment, it can be said that the level of a variety of batteries is not bad up and down, each also has different strengths and weaknesses. However, scientists and engineers are working to improve the battery capacity, and further reduce the battery damage to the environment. We are really looking forward to a high-powered batteries equipped with a wearable industry to flourish!
