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Please don your skeptic hats before reading this article. I'm mainly fascinated that companies with such extraordinary claims can survive or even get enough bac

Please don your skeptic hats before reading this article. I'm mainly fascinated that companies with such extraordinary claims can survive or even get enough backing to exist.

StreamBright 6y ago
Sure thing. "Micro-batteries Nuclear engineers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison have explored the possibilities of producing minuscule batteries which exploit radioactive nuclei of substances such as polonium or curium to produce electric energy. As an example of an integrated, self-powered application, the researchers have created an oscillating cantilever beam that is capable of consistent, periodic oscillations over very long time periods without the need for refueling. Ongoing work demonstrate that this cantilever is capable of radio frequency transmission, allowing MEMS devices to communicate with one another wirelessly. These micro-batteries are very light and deliver enough energy to function as power supply for use in MEMS devices and further for supply for nanodevices.[12] The radiation energy released is transformed into electric energy, which is restricted to the area of the device that contains the processor and the micro-battery that supplies it with energy." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery I am skeptical but there is great potential in this.
- MayeulC 6y ago
  Well, at least there is potential to detect future bugs or implants with geiger counters :)
  - averros 6y ago
    Not really. Beta radiation is effectively stopped by pretty thin shielding.
- 7thaccount 6y ago
  Isn't there an entire general term for this? I recall looking into beta-voltaics in college.
  - joezydeco 6y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge...
  - fit2rule 6y ago
    Yes indeed, energy harvesting SMD's are the thing: https://www.tdk-electronics.tdk.com/download/2427688/6fa95084f0dd78caac95dcb8f051082a/06-dl---ceracharge-presentation.pdf https://www.tdk-electronics.tdk.com/download/2427688/6fa9508...
m0nty 6y ago
Most of the discussion so far seems to be that there's no way to get sufficient energy density to power electric vehicles. But what they say is it provides "28,000 years of battery life for cell phones, aircraft, rockets, electric vehicles, sensors and other devices and machinery". I'm starting to wonder if they're just being a bit disingenuous rather than flat-out lying - could they mean the lower-power circuits of electric vehicles, rather than the motors turning the wheels?
- arethuza 6y ago
  They say on their website: "No recharging or refueling stations required." https://ndb.technology/automotive-battery/ https://ndb.technology/automotive-battery/ :-)
  - m0nty 6y ago
    But also "NDB is ideally positioned to contribute and lead change in this industry by addressing the primary bottleneck in EV vehicles, the battery, one that can last as long as the vehicle’s does." It's a curiously convoluted sentence.

Please don your skeptic hats before reading this article. I'm mainly fascinated that companies with such extraordinary claims can survive or even get enough backing to exist.

StreamBright 6y ago

Sure thing. "Micro-batteries Nuclear engineers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison have explored the possibilities of producing minuscule batteries which exploit radioactive nuclei of substances such as polonium or curium to produce electric energy. As an example of an integrated, self-powered application, the researchers have created an oscillating cantilever beam that is capable of consistent, periodic oscillations over very long time periods without the need for refueling. Ongoing work demonstrate that this cantilever is capable of radio frequency transmission, allowing MEMS devices to communicate with one another wirelessly. These micro-batteries are very light and deliver enough energy to function as power supply for use in MEMS devices and further for supply for nanodevices.[12] The radiation energy released is transformed into electric energy, which is restricted to the area of the device that contains the processor and the micro-battery that supplies it with energy." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery I am skeptical but there is great potential in this.

MayeulC 6y ago
Well, at least there is potential to detect future bugs or implants with geiger counters :)
- averros 6y ago
  Not really. Beta radiation is effectively stopped by pretty thin shielding.
7thaccount 6y ago
Isn't there an entire general term for this? I recall looking into beta-voltaics in college.
- joezydeco 6y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_ge...
- fit2rule 6y ago
  Yes indeed, energy harvesting SMD's are the thing: https://www.tdk-electronics.tdk.com/download/2427688/6fa95084f0dd78caac95dcb8f051082a/06-dl---ceracharge-presentation.pdf https://www.tdk-electronics.tdk.com/download/2427688/6fa9508...

m0nty 6y ago

Most of the discussion so far seems to be that there's no way to get sufficient energy density to power electric vehicles. But what they say is it provides "28,000 years of battery life for cell phones, aircraft, rockets, electric vehicles, sensors and other devices and machinery". I'm starting to wonder if they're just being a bit disingenuous rather than flat-out lying - could they mean the lower-power circuits of electric vehicles, rather than the motors turning the wheels?

arethuza 6y ago
They say on their website: "No recharging or refueling stations required." https://ndb.technology/automotive-battery/ https://ndb.technology/automotive-battery/ :-)
- m0nty 6y ago
  But also "NDB is ideally positioned to contribute and lead change in this industry by addressing the primary bottleneck in EV vehicles, the battery, one that can last as long as the vehicle’s does." It's a curiously convoluted sentence.