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If this is such a great idea why isn't the circuit integrated into the devices that use batteries? I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult monitor the discharge rate

If this is such a great idea why isn't the circuit integrated into the devices that use batteries? I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult monitor the discharge rate and kick in the circuit when it's needed and the battery has demonstrated that it's an alkaline by its discharge profile.

nodata 11y ago
Take a guess.
- afandian 11y ago
  Here are my guesses: 1 - they already do 2 - the technology isn't actually sound or reliable or is only suitable in very specific cases 3 - it's too difficult to integrate 4 - the batteries aren't rated for it, or there's FCC regulations, or EMF problems or standards that prohibit it 5 - it makes batteries explode sometimes 6 - it makes batteries too unpredictable and makes monitoring even less accurate 7 - it doesn't provide enough current when in use 8 - there's some massive industry conspiracy and they'll be coming for your children next How'd I do?
  - adlpz 11y ago
    9 - It's more expensive, the market won't tolerate a price rise on disposable batteries, they cannot sustain a 8x average life of their product at current prices.
  - 5xman 11y ago
    0 - "Our technology is really a miniaturization technique that allows us to build the sleeve..., but the key is we’ve been able to miniaturize the boost circuit to a point that no one else has been able to achieve"
  - blisterpeanuts 11y ago
    10 - Patent protection would add to the per-unit cost
  - VLM 11y ago
    9 - draws too much current when not in use. Theres some icom radio battery holders that are "famously" active, you can run a portable mobile radio (think hand held police radio or ham radio) on 2 AA batteries but the upconverter runs 24x7 once the batteries are installed so in 6 months, even if never used, the batteries are dead and in a year they're leaking. Think of the remote control for a TV that dies annually no matter how much or little you use it, all the amphours went into standby losses, operation energy was a rounding error. You can't run an upconverter for free, although technology is improving etc etc. Of course lower losses imply higher impedances which generally result in higher static sensitivity. 10 - "everyone knows" overdrained batteries leak, cheaper ones worse than the expensive ones.
- pjc50 11y ago
  It adds cost.
  - afandian 11y ago
    Or that. That's probably it.
- raverbashing 11y ago
  1 - Not applicable to all devices 2 - Cost, as mentioned 3 - Some might already do it (probably down-convert the voltage to be used)
Cthulhu_ 11y ago
Tin foil hat mode: The battery industry makes money from selling in disposable battery volume; if their disposable batteries last twice as long, their sales volume will drop by half. Of course, if they manage to sell their 2x lifetime batteries for twice the price it would sorta even out again. But the customer, when faced with regular batteries and 2x priced batteries, will still pick the cheaper one despite the lifetime claims.
- partiallogic 11y ago
  Yes but he's asking why the DEVICES don't incorporate the technology. If for example Apple could claim 8x battery life in their keyboard by adding a 10cent piece of kit you'd think they'd do it.
  - jegutman 11y ago
    "Big battery" is too strong.
    - hellweaver666 11y ago
      Stronger than Apple? I'm not sure I believe that.
      - accounthere 11y ago
        Apple products use disposable batteries?
        AlexandrB 11y ago
        Wireless keyboards and trackpads use AAs.
  - namuol 11y ago
    I think the main reason is that the booster circuit hardware was too bulky for certain devices?
guan 11y ago
It often is. Newer LED flashlights that run off a single alkaline cell always have a boost converter. Electronics that run off 3 cells often have a buck converter down to 3.3V or a lower voltage, which accomplishes the same thing, often a little more efficiently. Boost converters from single cell alkaline batteries up to useful voltages are usually quite inefficient. If you see something powered by two cells, it might not have a voltage converter because a lot of circuits can operate off that voltage directly. If you use this sleeve inside a device with a built in voltage converter, you waste some energy, and your device gets confused about remaining battery life.
gambiting 11y ago
Because all batteries are is a tiny pile of two substances wrapped in metal. Adding any sort of electronic circuit increases the cost tenfold(or more).

nodata 11y ago

Take a guess.

afandian 11y ago
Here are my guesses: 1 - they already do 2 - the technology isn't actually sound or reliable or is only suitable in very specific cases 3 - it's too difficult to integrate 4 - the batteries aren't rated for it, or there's FCC regulations, or EMF problems or standards that prohibit it 5 - it makes batteries explode sometimes 6 - it makes batteries too unpredictable and makes monitoring even less accurate 7 - it doesn't provide enough current when in use 8 - there's some massive industry conspiracy and they'll be coming for your children next How'd I do?
- adlpz 11y ago
  9 - It's more expensive, the market won't tolerate a price rise on disposable batteries, they cannot sustain a 8x average life of their product at current prices.
- 5xman 11y ago
  0 - "Our technology is really a miniaturization technique that allows us to build the sleeve..., but the key is we’ve been able to miniaturize the boost circuit to a point that no one else has been able to achieve"
- blisterpeanuts 11y ago
  10 - Patent protection would add to the per-unit cost
- VLM 11y ago
  9 - draws too much current when not in use. Theres some icom radio battery holders that are "famously" active, you can run a portable mobile radio (think hand held police radio or ham radio) on 2 AA batteries but the upconverter runs 24x7 once the batteries are installed so in 6 months, even if never used, the batteries are dead and in a year they're leaking. Think of the remote control for a TV that dies annually no matter how much or little you use it, all the amphours went into standby losses, operation energy was a rounding error. You can't run an upconverter for free, although technology is improving etc etc. Of course lower losses imply higher impedances which generally result in higher static sensitivity. 10 - "everyone knows" overdrained batteries leak, cheaper ones worse than the expensive ones.
pjc50 11y ago
It adds cost.
- afandian 11y ago
  Or that. That's probably it.
raverbashing 11y ago
1 - Not applicable to all devices 2 - Cost, as mentioned 3 - Some might already do it (probably down-convert the voltage to be used)

Cthulhu_ 11y ago

Tin foil hat mode: The battery industry makes money from selling in disposable battery volume; if their disposable batteries last twice as long, their sales volume will drop by half. Of course, if they manage to sell their 2x lifetime batteries for twice the price it would sorta even out again. But the customer, when faced with regular batteries and 2x priced batteries, will still pick the cheaper one despite the lifetime claims.

partiallogic 11y ago
Yes but he's asking why the DEVICES don't incorporate the technology. If for example Apple could claim 8x battery life in their keyboard by adding a 10cent piece of kit you'd think they'd do it.
- jegutman 11y ago
  "Big battery" is too strong.
  - hellweaver666 11y ago
    Stronger than Apple? I'm not sure I believe that.
    - accounthere 11y ago
      Apple products use disposable batteries?
      - AlexandrB 11y ago
        Wireless keyboards and trackpads use AAs.
- namuol 11y ago
  I think the main reason is that the booster circuit hardware was too bulky for certain devices?

guan 11y ago

It often is. Newer LED flashlights that run off a single alkaline cell always have a boost converter. Electronics that run off 3 cells often have a buck converter down to 3.3V or a lower voltage, which accomplishes the same thing, often a little more efficiently. Boost converters from single cell alkaline batteries up to useful voltages are usually quite inefficient. If you see something powered by two cells, it might not have a voltage converter because a lot of circuits can operate off that voltage directly. If you use this sleeve inside a device with a built in voltage converter, you waste some energy, and your device gets confused about remaining battery life.

gambiting 11y ago

Because all batteries are is a tiny pile of two substances wrapped in metal. Adding any sort of electronic circuit increases the cost tenfold(or more).