Google Battles For Better Batteries

An anonymous reader writes: The Wall Street Journal reports that Google's X research lab has joined the quest for better batteries. The company has at least 20 projects that depend on batteries, from Google Glass to self-driving cars and drones. Thus, it makes sense for them to try developing new battery technology. "At Google, Dr. Bhardwaj's group is trying to advance current lithium-ion technology and the cutting-edge solid-state batteries for consumer devices. ... In a February presentation to an industry conference, Dr. Bhardwaj described how solid-state, thin-film batteries could be used in smartphones and other mobile devices that are thinner, bendable, wearable and even implantable in the human body. ... For the contact lens, the technology is safer because it doesn't use flammable electrolyte liquid, Dr. Bhardwaj's presentation explained."

Comments

Betty

[davidc]

Betty bought a bitty battery
But the bitty battery Betty bought was bogus
So Betty backed a better bitty battery

Re:Betty

[drinkypoo]

Cecil sells c cells down by the seashore.

not just them

[Gravis Zero]

Thus, it makes sense for them to try developing new battery technology

it makes sense for everyone to try to develop a better battery. societies are trying to and wants to switch from chemical power generation to solar generation which currently has the issue of needing costly batteries. if nothing else, it's a growth market.

Re:not just them

[Lord Balto]

I think that's what the gigafactory is all about. While everyone else natters on about "costly batteries," Tesla is actually doing something about it.

Re:not just them

[cb88]

Costly batteries are only a problem when you want batteries that are lightweight and high capacity for vehicles... Potassium Hydroxide batteries (among others) already solve the low cost solar storage problem for fixed high reliability installations.

The only thing stopping people from switching to solar is themselves... its not even that expensive anymore relative to the cost of a new house.

Re:Does anybody realize

[dixonpete]

Tesla has done a lot of work in this area, see: http://www.extremetech.com/ext...

Re:4 Google staff members assigned to this project

[Anonymous Coward]

A breakthrough is certain!

nearly as certain as the project's discontinuance 6 months later.

Re:Does anybody realize

[pushing-robot]

* Batteries have far lower energy density than gasoline (and even most explosives).

* Batteries have a maximum discharge rate, which means they can't release all their energy instantaneously under practical conditions. In other words, instead of detonating like a firecracker, they tend to just spray fire and sparks for a few minutes like a fountain.

* "Real" explosives are not hard to acquire or manufacture, and bags of fertilizer and cans of fuel oil cost far less than an equivalent mass of Li-Ion batteries.

Re:Does anybody realize

[azalin]

You are not allowed to carry spiked fertilizer on a plane though. Lithium Batteries on the other hand, are allowed.

Re:Does anybody realize

[Hamsterdan]

https://xkcd.com/651/