Many companies are developing cutting-edge new batteries powered by anything from sugar to sunlight – but Qnovo is instead focusing on improving the traditional lithium ion ones used in most consumer electronics. The company is developing a combination solution including smart software and silicon which will more efficiently use power stored in lithium ion batteries.
The Qnovo silicon controller is placed between the battery and the processor in the cell phone and measures voltage, temperature, and current. The software uses this data to decide how best to charge the battery, and then the controller charges the batter in a way that keeps it healthy while still charging as quickly as possible.
It may seem like this tiny change won’t make a big difference, but lithium ion batteries deteriorate notoriously quickly – although manufacturers would like you to believe they last two years before losing a charge, often they last less than one. This silicon controller will significantly increase the life of the battery and also increase charging speed. It usually takes a cell phone 2-3 hours to charge to 80% capacity – but with Qnovo, the battery can reach that level in 30 minutes. This solution is better than simply increasing the amps sent to the phone as it charges because it doesn’t sacrifice the longevity of the battery.
Source: GigaOm
