The co-lab. team of "Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATRI)" and other organizations succeeded in gathering brain activities of a viewer is actually seeing an image,
reconstructing the gathered data into the original image, and visualizing the image on the computer.
The in-brain image visualizing method, when further developed, may objectively extract subjective experiences, which do not physically exist, for example, mental images and dreams.
The method also showed that it is possible to extract what the human brain perceives from the brain.
The researchers also showed that it is possible to extract complex contents in the brain as the results from that the brain perceives things, just as they are. Further, the method opened up new possibilities of the via-brain information communication technology such as the brain-machine interface (BMI).
For details, read "NEURON", Vol.60, No.5, Decebmer 11, 2008.
Authors & Title:
Yoichi Miyawaki, Hajime Uchida, Okito Yamashita, Masa-aki Sato, Yusuke Morito, Hiroki C. Tanabe, Norihiro Sadato, Yukiyasu Kamitani. "Visual image reconstruction from human brain activity using a combination of multi-scale local image decoders".
A brief of the technology follows for reference. The field of vision is divided into segmental areas having different resolutions. Contrast values of those areas are predicted on the basis of the brain activity patterns, which are obtained through the measurement by the fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). The resultant predictive values are combined to reconstruct an overall original image.
Geometrical figures and alphabets, which were not used for leaning brain activity patterns, could be reconstructed by using the visualizing method. Additionally, a correct image could be specified from among more than 100,000,000 candidates.
Further, an image that the viewer was seeing could be reconstructed into a motion image by analyzing the fMRI scan data gathered every two seconds.
The description given above is a brief of the press release from ATR.
keywords: ATRI, brain activities, in-brain image visualizing,NEURON,fMRI,
******************
The technology strongly attracted my attention.
I felt that the technology has a great potential to push forward the man-machine communication technology front.
I understand that the technology described is out of the categories currently handled in this site.
2008年12月16日火曜日
2008年12月7日日曜日
EBARA-BALLARD, Delivered New Residential Fuel Cell Cogeneration Systems for Just-Before Mass-Production Experiment
EBARA-BALLARD Corporation started to deliver new residential fuel cell cogeneration systems (ENEFARM) for the large-scale demonstration test under execution, from the Fujisawa factory in Fujisawa city, Kanagawa prefecture.
The FC cogeneration systems are designed and manufactured while envisioning that the residential FC market will be effective in 2009 (next year).
The new FC cogeneration system is improved to practical levels.
The endurance time of the cogeneration system is about 10 years.
The price of the cogenerator is about 120 man-yen (man-yen = 1,000,000 yen, 1 USD = about 92 yen on 2008.12.5 11:16).
The FC cogeneration system is sufficiently practical for general homes if the government subsidy and the long-term loan are used, I think.
Have some of major conditions to raise the initial market already been satisfied?
Current social and economical environment, including CO2 reduction and domestic demand boosting, will encourage creation and expansion of the fuel cell market, I believe.
For the subsidy, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy has got down to brass tacks.
Noise generated during power generation and the unit size were remarkably lowered and reduced.
From the data accumulated through the long-time continued demonstration test , it is taught that the amount of gas consumption is somewhat increased, but the amount of electric consumption is reduced to 1/2 to 1/3.
The company sets the sales target at about 10 % of 3 million households (per year), which replace water heaters, and plans to sell several tens thousands units in 2011.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan: http://www.fcpat-japan.com/]
(Source & reference: TOWNNEWS-SHA CO.,Ltd.)
The FC cogeneration systems are designed and manufactured while envisioning that the residential FC market will be effective in 2009 (next year).
The new FC cogeneration system is improved to practical levels.
The endurance time of the cogeneration system is about 10 years.
The price of the cogenerator is about 120 man-yen (man-yen = 1,000,000 yen, 1 USD = about 92 yen on 2008.12.5 11:16).
The FC cogeneration system is sufficiently practical for general homes if the government subsidy and the long-term loan are used, I think.
Have some of major conditions to raise the initial market already been satisfied?
Current social and economical environment, including CO2 reduction and domestic demand boosting, will encourage creation and expansion of the fuel cell market, I believe.
For the subsidy, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy has got down to brass tacks.
Noise generated during power generation and the unit size were remarkably lowered and reduced.
From the data accumulated through the long-time continued demonstration test , it is taught that the amount of gas consumption is somewhat increased, but the amount of electric consumption is reduced to 1/2 to 1/3.
The company sets the sales target at about 10 % of 3 million households (per year), which replace water heaters, and plans to sell several tens thousands units in 2011.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan: http://www.fcpat-japan.com/]
(Source & reference: TOWNNEWS-SHA CO.,Ltd.)
2008年12月4日木曜日
Sanyo Special Steel Triples the Output Power Density of DMFC
Sanyo Special Steel Co., Ltd., in cooperation with Associate Professor Toshio Shudo (Hokkaido University), has succeeded in tripling the output power density of the DMFC. 134 mW/cm2 is the output power density of the DMFC.
This figure sufficiently exceeds 100 mW/cm2, which is the temporary target figure set by NEDO.
This figure was achieved by use of a unique separator structure.
As known, the conventional separator uses grooves for the passages for fluid flow.
The company's separator uses a porous body for the passages for fluid flow.
Spherical stainless powder having the particle diameter of about 0.1 mm was applied to a separator substrate and sintered into a unit body as a separator.
Fluid, e.g., hydrogen, passes through a large number of perforations formed in the sintered body. The new separator has many advantages of uniform fluid supply, improved reaction efficiency, excellent separator conductivity, and increased current. The separator is also applicable to the PEFC, as a matter of course.
Prof. Shudo will present the new separator technology at the 28th HESS Conference Lecture Meeting (Dec. 11 and 12, 2008, Tokyo; click here).
The DMFC incorporating the new separator will be exhibited at FC EXPO 2009 (Feb. 25 to 27, 2009, Tokyo Big Sight).
Source: News release from SANYO SPECIAL STEEL
This figure sufficiently exceeds 100 mW/cm2, which is the temporary target figure set by NEDO.
This figure was achieved by use of a unique separator structure.
As known, the conventional separator uses grooves for the passages for fluid flow.
The company's separator uses a porous body for the passages for fluid flow.
Spherical stainless powder having the particle diameter of about 0.1 mm was applied to a separator substrate and sintered into a unit body as a separator.
Fluid, e.g., hydrogen, passes through a large number of perforations formed in the sintered body. The new separator has many advantages of uniform fluid supply, improved reaction efficiency, excellent separator conductivity, and increased current. The separator is also applicable to the PEFC, as a matter of course.
Prof. Shudo will present the new separator technology at the 28th HESS Conference Lecture Meeting (Dec. 11 and 12, 2008, Tokyo; click here).
The DMFC incorporating the new separator will be exhibited at FC EXPO 2009 (Feb. 25 to 27, 2009, Tokyo Big Sight).
Source: News release from SANYO SPECIAL STEEL
2008年11月24日月曜日
Another Simple AlH3 synthesizing Method
A new method of synthesizing an aluminum hydride (AlH3) has been developed.
A direct reaction#1 of aluminum with hydrogen was used for the AlH3 synthesis.
A hydrogen absorbing process and a hydrogen releasing process of the resultant AlH3 were observed by the "in-site observation"#3, which was carried out using radiation rays in the large radiation facility SPring-8"2.
Developed by:
Hiroyuki Saito, Katsutoshi Aoki, et al, in Radiation High-Density Material Science Study Group, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
This result was published online in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 93, Issue 15, Oct. 17, 2008.
As known, AlH3 has attractive properties for the hydrogen storage material.
For example, its hydrogen storage density is very high, its weight is light, and its hydrogen releasing temperature is low.
To synthesize AlH3 is very difficult, however.
It has been known that aluminum can be hydrogenated in a state that hydrogen is fluid at 10,000 atm. or higher. A passive film formed on the aluminum surface hinders aluminum from being hydrogenated.
Dr. Orimo et al in Tohoku University, in cooperation with Hawaii University, succeeded in synthesizing aluminum hydrides having typical three types of crystal structures by means of the chemical synthesizing process, and elucidated basic data, including the reactivity with hydrogen. The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW)
further developed the synthesizing technology of aluminum hydrides, and confirmed that the formed AlH3 is stored for several months at normal temperature#4.
Keeping the background in mind, the researchers placed aluminum in the hydrogen fluid, which is under the conditions of 10.0 Gpa and 650 degrees of centigrade, for 24 hours.
AlH3 was produced which was about the half of pristine aluminum in volume (see microscope photo of Fig. 3).
An experiment was conducted to investigate the reaction of aluminum with hydrogen under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure.
The radiation powder x-ray diffraction was used and a test piece of aluminum was observed in site.
A multi-anvil press (high pressure generator), installed in SPring-8 BL14B1, was used. The schematic illustration of the high pressure generator was given in Fig. 1. The test piece is completely and tightly covered with super hard pistons and pressure medium when the apparatus is in operation, as seen from Fig. 1.
One cannot visually observe the test piece. To cope with this, a measurement method, called an X-ray powder diffraction method, was used. In the method, highly intensive X-rays, which are emitted from Spring-8, were made to pass through those components and irradiated the aluminum specimen. The test piece was successfully observed in site.
Powder x-ray diffraction patterns produced when the aluminum specimen is heated in a state that it is pressed at 8.9 Gpa, are shown in Fig. 2(a)#5. In Fig. 2, aluminum hydrogenation stared at positions of red dots.
When the test piece was held and heated up to 400 degrees of centigrade, no aluminum hydrogenation was observed. It would be estimated that the passive film on the aluminum surface hinders the hydrogenation of aluminum under the temperature/pressure condition.
When the specimen is heated up to 600 degrees of temperature, a peak representing aluminum hydride appeared after 20 minutes. The aluminum hydrogenation started at this peak position.
A state that AlH3 was heated and decomposed, and another state that the resultant Al was cooled and hydrogenated again are illustrated in Fig. 2(b). From those figures, it is seen that the hydrogen absorption process and the hydrogen releasing process (reverse reaction of the former) were observed in site.
The result of analyzing the test piece showed no detection of impurities.
The aluminum hydride synthesizing method, developed this time, is based on a simple direct reaction of aluminum with hydrogen. The aluminum hydride formed is much purer than that formed by the chemical process. The high purity of the aluminum hydride ensures exact investigation of the aluminum hydride. However, it is difficult for the aluminum hydride synthesizing method based on the direct hydrogenation of aluminum to produce a large amount of aluminum hydride. The direct aluminum hydrogenation method could form a new metal alloy by adding to aluminum another metal that is different from aluminum. Formation of such a metal will lead to creation of new hydrogen storage materials, which are capable of absorbing hydrogen at low pressure.
>> more
Source: JAEA's press release
Keywords: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, direct hydrogenation of aluminum, aluminum hydride, chemical synthesizing process, hydrogen fluid, hydrogen storage material, SPring-8, passive film
***********************
Aluminum hydride (AlH3) has excellent properties for the hydrogen storage material, as known. It is said that few cases of using AlH3 for the hydrogen storage material had been reported. Recently, the researchers (Mr. Saito and Mr. Aoki) in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) succeeded in synthesizing AlH3. A direct hydrogenation of aluminum was used for the AlH3 synthesis. Dr. Orimo, et al. in Tohoku University have already synthesized AlH3. The chemical synthesizing process was used for synthesizing AlH3. Nihon Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW) has further developed the synthesizing process, and must have supplied it as a test material to users. (This technical news has already been described on our site.#4)The technical news of the JAEA's AlH3 synthesizing technology is slightly old but I think it needs to be reported since it is a very attractive technology for hydrogen storage.
A direct reaction#1 of aluminum with hydrogen was used for the AlH3 synthesis.
A hydrogen absorbing process and a hydrogen releasing process of the resultant AlH3 were observed by the "in-site observation"#3, which was carried out using radiation rays in the large radiation facility SPring-8"2.
Developed by:
Hiroyuki Saito, Katsutoshi Aoki, et al, in Radiation High-Density Material Science Study Group, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
This result was published online in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 93, Issue 15, Oct. 17, 2008.
As known, AlH3 has attractive properties for the hydrogen storage material.
For example, its hydrogen storage density is very high, its weight is light, and its hydrogen releasing temperature is low.
To synthesize AlH3 is very difficult, however.
It has been known that aluminum can be hydrogenated in a state that hydrogen is fluid at 10,000 atm. or higher. A passive film formed on the aluminum surface hinders aluminum from being hydrogenated.
Dr. Orimo et al in Tohoku University, in cooperation with Hawaii University, succeeded in synthesizing aluminum hydrides having typical three types of crystal structures by means of the chemical synthesizing process, and elucidated basic data, including the reactivity with hydrogen. The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW)
further developed the synthesizing technology of aluminum hydrides, and confirmed that the formed AlH3 is stored for several months at normal temperature#4.
Keeping the background in mind, the researchers placed aluminum in the hydrogen fluid, which is under the conditions of 10.0 Gpa and 650 degrees of centigrade, for 24 hours.
AlH3 was produced which was about the half of pristine aluminum in volume (see microscope photo of Fig. 3).
An experiment was conducted to investigate the reaction of aluminum with hydrogen under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure.
The radiation powder x-ray diffraction was used and a test piece of aluminum was observed in site.
A multi-anvil press (high pressure generator), installed in SPring-8 BL14B1, was used. The schematic illustration of the high pressure generator was given in Fig. 1. The test piece is completely and tightly covered with super hard pistons and pressure medium when the apparatus is in operation, as seen from Fig. 1.
One cannot visually observe the test piece. To cope with this, a measurement method, called an X-ray powder diffraction method, was used. In the method, highly intensive X-rays, which are emitted from Spring-8, were made to pass through those components and irradiated the aluminum specimen. The test piece was successfully observed in site.
Powder x-ray diffraction patterns produced when the aluminum specimen is heated in a state that it is pressed at 8.9 Gpa, are shown in Fig. 2(a)#5. In Fig. 2, aluminum hydrogenation stared at positions of red dots.
When the test piece was held and heated up to 400 degrees of centigrade, no aluminum hydrogenation was observed. It would be estimated that the passive film on the aluminum surface hinders the hydrogenation of aluminum under the temperature/pressure condition.
When the specimen is heated up to 600 degrees of temperature, a peak representing aluminum hydride appeared after 20 minutes. The aluminum hydrogenation started at this peak position.
A state that AlH3 was heated and decomposed, and another state that the resultant Al was cooled and hydrogenated again are illustrated in Fig. 2(b). From those figures, it is seen that the hydrogen absorption process and the hydrogen releasing process (reverse reaction of the former) were observed in site.
The result of analyzing the test piece showed no detection of impurities.
The aluminum hydride synthesizing method, developed this time, is based on a simple direct reaction of aluminum with hydrogen. The aluminum hydride formed is much purer than that formed by the chemical process. The high purity of the aluminum hydride ensures exact investigation of the aluminum hydride. However, it is difficult for the aluminum hydride synthesizing method based on the direct hydrogenation of aluminum to produce a large amount of aluminum hydride. The direct aluminum hydrogenation method could form a new metal alloy by adding to aluminum another metal that is different from aluminum. Formation of such a metal will lead to creation of new hydrogen storage materials, which are capable of absorbing hydrogen at low pressure.
>> more
Source: JAEA's press release
Keywords: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, direct hydrogenation of aluminum, aluminum hydride, chemical synthesizing process, hydrogen fluid, hydrogen storage material, SPring-8, passive film
***********************
Aluminum hydride (AlH3) has excellent properties for the hydrogen storage material, as known. It is said that few cases of using AlH3 for the hydrogen storage material had been reported. Recently, the researchers (Mr. Saito and Mr. Aoki) in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) succeeded in synthesizing AlH3. A direct hydrogenation of aluminum was used for the AlH3 synthesis. Dr. Orimo, et al. in Tohoku University have already synthesized AlH3. The chemical synthesizing process was used for synthesizing AlH3. Nihon Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW) has further developed the synthesizing process, and must have supplied it as a test material to users. (This technical news has already been described on our site.#4)The technical news of the JAEA's AlH3 synthesizing technology is slightly old but I think it needs to be reported since it is a very attractive technology for hydrogen storage.
2008年11月13日木曜日
Succeeded in Visualizing Incoming and Outgoing Motions of Lithium Ions at Positive Electrode by Electron Microscope
Dr. Akita Tomoki et al., AIST's researchers#1, succeeded in visualizing the incoming and outgoing motions of lithium ions at the positive electrode of the lithium ion battery by using the electron microscope.
The success will trigger the impetus of developing the lithium ion battery toward its performance enhancement.
No one has visualized the concentration distribution of lithium (Li).
The peak of the spectrum of the concentration distribution of Li is low in energy level to such an extent that it is difficult to distinguish from the peaks of the spectra of the background and other elements. This is the reason why the visualization is difficult.
The spectrum-imaging method using the STEM - EELS method#2 has been used for visualizing the concentration distributions of elements constituting a test piece.
The researchers found the fact "The second order derivative of the EELS spectrum is theoretically proportional to the concentration of an element of a test piece when the test piece is thin." A signal intensity analyzing method based on the second order derivative was developed anew. The signal intensities of lithium were quantitized by using the new analysis method to visualize the concentration distribution.
Further, the researchers elucidated a relationship between the nano structure of the positive electrode and the behavior of lithium ions by using the new visualizing technique.
For details of the results of this study, reference is made to "Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters" (IEEE transactions), electronic edition, issued on August 15, 2008, and the sources of this article referred to below.
[Sources: AIST's press release on August 18, 2008, List of AIST's major study results, and others]
#1: Akita Tomoki, chief researcher,
Research Institute for Ubiquitous Energy Devices, AIST (national institute of advanced industrial science and technology)
#2: STEM = scan transmission electron microscope
EELS = electron energy loss spectroscopy
Keywords: lithium ion battery, anode electrode, visualize, incoming and outgoing motions of lithium ions, concentration distribution of lithium, STEM - EELS
The success will trigger the impetus of developing the lithium ion battery toward its performance enhancement.
No one has visualized the concentration distribution of lithium (Li).
The peak of the spectrum of the concentration distribution of Li is low in energy level to such an extent that it is difficult to distinguish from the peaks of the spectra of the background and other elements. This is the reason why the visualization is difficult.
The spectrum-imaging method using the STEM - EELS method#2 has been used for visualizing the concentration distributions of elements constituting a test piece.
The researchers found the fact "The second order derivative of the EELS spectrum is theoretically proportional to the concentration of an element of a test piece when the test piece is thin." A signal intensity analyzing method based on the second order derivative was developed anew. The signal intensities of lithium were quantitized by using the new analysis method to visualize the concentration distribution.
Further, the researchers elucidated a relationship between the nano structure of the positive electrode and the behavior of lithium ions by using the new visualizing technique.
For details of the results of this study, reference is made to "Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters" (IEEE transactions), electronic edition, issued on August 15, 2008, and the sources of this article referred to below.
[Sources: AIST's press release on August 18, 2008, List of AIST's major study results, and others]
#1: Akita Tomoki, chief researcher,
Research Institute for Ubiquitous Energy Devices, AIST (national institute of advanced industrial science and technology)
#2: STEM = scan transmission electron microscope
EELS = electron energy loss spectroscopy
Keywords: lithium ion battery, anode electrode, visualize, incoming and outgoing motions of lithium ions, concentration distribution of lithium, STEM - EELS
2008年10月30日木曜日
CPI Uses Hrein Energy's Technology of Hydrogen Storage for Hydrogen Influstructure Project
Hrein Energy, Inc. (Hokkaido-based company) signed a contract with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) to cooperatively promote the hydrogen influstructure project.
Hrein provides its proprietary technology of hydrogen storage to the CPI and the enterprises participating in the hydrogen influstructure project.
Under the contract, both parties will construct an energy supply system for supplying hydrogen gas to hydrogen vehicles and fuel cells in England, and in future, the entire region of EU.
[News release from Hrein Energy, The Hokkaido Shimbun Press., etc.]
The Hrein's hydrogen storage technology stores hydrogen into a liquid organic hydride under the conditions of normal temperature and normal pressure.
The organic hydride may be handled like kerosene, etc. With this feature, the hydrogen transportation is easy, a large amount of hydrogen can be stored, and the conventional kerosene influstructure may be used almost as it is.
The organic hydride as a hydrogen storage medium is fairly superior to high-pressure hydrogen and liquid hydrogen in hydrogen supply and transportation cost.
The organic hydride has many profitable characteristics, which are preferable for the hydrogen storage medium.
1) The content of hydrogen is very high. #1
2) Reaction gently proceeds.
3) Reaction is reversible. The organic hydride is recyclicable: The hydrogenation- and dehydrogenation reactions of the organic hydride can be alternatively repeated.
4) No by-product is produced in the reaction.
#1: The target figures of the hydrogen contents (volume, weight) exceed the target figures of the hydrogen storage medium, set by United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufactures, Inc. (AAMA).
See "Characteristics of organic hydrides"
Keywords: CPI, Hrein Energy, Hydrogen Storage, organic hydride, hydrogen influstructure project, hydrogen vehicles, fuel cells, England, EU, Hokkaido.
Hrein provides its proprietary technology of hydrogen storage to the CPI and the enterprises participating in the hydrogen influstructure project.
Under the contract, both parties will construct an energy supply system for supplying hydrogen gas to hydrogen vehicles and fuel cells in England, and in future, the entire region of EU.
[News release from Hrein Energy, The Hokkaido Shimbun Press., etc.]
The Hrein's hydrogen storage technology stores hydrogen into a liquid organic hydride under the conditions of normal temperature and normal pressure.
The organic hydride may be handled like kerosene, etc. With this feature, the hydrogen transportation is easy, a large amount of hydrogen can be stored, and the conventional kerosene influstructure may be used almost as it is.
The organic hydride as a hydrogen storage medium is fairly superior to high-pressure hydrogen and liquid hydrogen in hydrogen supply and transportation cost.
The organic hydride has many profitable characteristics, which are preferable for the hydrogen storage medium.
1) The content of hydrogen is very high. #1
2) Reaction gently proceeds.
3) Reaction is reversible. The organic hydride is recyclicable: The hydrogenation- and dehydrogenation reactions of the organic hydride can be alternatively repeated.
4) No by-product is produced in the reaction.
#1: The target figures of the hydrogen contents (volume, weight) exceed the target figures of the hydrogen storage medium, set by United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufactures, Inc. (AAMA).
See "Characteristics of organic hydrides"
Keywords: CPI, Hrein Energy, Hydrogen Storage, organic hydride, hydrogen influstructure project, hydrogen vehicles, fuel cells, England, EU, Hokkaido.
2008年10月23日木曜日
Aquafairy's PEFC Charger is Ready for Mass Production
Aquafairy Corporation has remarkably improved the fuel cell charger for mobile devices, and completes its mass production technology and the building of a mass production line, which is capable of producing 250,000 units/month.
The weight of the fuel cell charger developed this time is almost the half of that of the previous one.
The manufacturing cost of the fuel cell charger is almost equal to that of the currently used charger.
The weight of the fuel cell charger is 1/10 or lower of that of the alkaline dry cell, but is capable of supplying electric power equal to that of the alkaline dry cell.
The company has a plan to start shipping of samples of the new fuel cell chargers on April, 2009, and to really commercialize the chargers till April of 2010.
The fuel cell charger receives hydrogen directly from a hydrogen generator cassette, which is attached to the fuel cell.
The hydrogen generator cassette, based on the Aquafairy's propriety technology, contains the metal hydrogen generating agent and water. Hydrogen is generated by adding water to the hydrogen generating agent.
A fuel cell, which uses Al (aluminum) particles and generates hydrogen through the reaction of Al with water, is being developed by Hitachi Maxell and Muroran Institute of Technology. The Hitachi Maxell exhibited the improved fuel cell of this type in CEATEC JAPAN 2008.
Fuel cell charger has the following specifications:
Output power - 3 watts
power generation capacity - 5 Wh
Weight - about 20 grams
Size - 55 mm deep x 40 mm wide x 9 mm high
Volume = 20 cm3
Sources: The Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Digital & THE NIKKAN KOGYO SHIMBUN,LTD, etc.
Keywords: Aquafairy, PEFC, fuel cell charger, mass production technology, metal hydrogen generating agent, water, cassette
The weight of the fuel cell charger developed this time is almost the half of that of the previous one.
The manufacturing cost of the fuel cell charger is almost equal to that of the currently used charger.
The weight of the fuel cell charger is 1/10 or lower of that of the alkaline dry cell, but is capable of supplying electric power equal to that of the alkaline dry cell.
The company has a plan to start shipping of samples of the new fuel cell chargers on April, 2009, and to really commercialize the chargers till April of 2010.
The fuel cell charger receives hydrogen directly from a hydrogen generator cassette, which is attached to the fuel cell.
The hydrogen generator cassette, based on the Aquafairy's propriety technology, contains the metal hydrogen generating agent and water. Hydrogen is generated by adding water to the hydrogen generating agent.
A fuel cell, which uses Al (aluminum) particles and generates hydrogen through the reaction of Al with water, is being developed by Hitachi Maxell and Muroran Institute of Technology. The Hitachi Maxell exhibited the improved fuel cell of this type in CEATEC JAPAN 2008.
Fuel cell charger has the following specifications:
Output power - 3 watts
power generation capacity - 5 Wh
Weight - about 20 grams
Size - 55 mm deep x 40 mm wide x 9 mm high
Volume = 20 cm3
Sources: The Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Digital & THE NIKKAN KOGYO SHIMBUN,LTD, etc.
Keywords: Aquafairy, PEFC, fuel cell charger, mass production technology, metal hydrogen generating agent, water, cassette
Panasonic's Micro DMFC is Halved in Size
A ratio of output power/(device) volume is remarkably increased.
The volume of the micro DMFC incorporated into the note PC is about 1/2 when compared with the previous one manufactured by the company.
The size of the DMFC charger is approximately 105 mm x 148 mm.
The charger has two ports for the output terminals, and is capable of supplying electric power to different mobile devices concurrently.
Photos: click here.
The volume of the micro DMFC incorporated into the note PC is about 1/2 when compared with the previous one manufactured by the company.
The size of the DMFC charger is approximately 105 mm x 148 mm.
The charger has two ports for the output terminals, and is capable of supplying electric power to different mobile devices concurrently.
Photos: click here.
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