QinetiQ takes Olympus trip

News

QinetiQ

has reached an agreement with the Olympus Corporation to develop hydrogen generators for fuel cells for consumer portable devices.

The aim is to deliver a working prototype by 2008, which will enable compact, high power output (10 watts) and longer operating time. Some mobile phones and PDAs currently use around two watts of power. After 2008, further development work is planned with Olympus which is likely to be devoted to the practical application of fuel cells in a range of portable products and devices, pending the outcome of the initial research.

As makers of consumer technology press more functionality into ever smaller devices, energy requirements grow exponentially and traditional battery technology begins to reach its limits. Laptop makers are currently developing fuel cells to power their products, but early models are predicted to be heavier than lithium-ion batteries currently on the market, which is a major constraint.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address