E-Report

February 2007

Battery Power 2007 – More Than 30 Presentations Announced

Register before February 21st and Save $300. Join leading OEMs, design engineers, power integrators & manufacturers and discover the latest innovations in battery technology. Battery Power 2007 is the leading technology conference dedicated to portable, stationary and automotive applications.

More than 30 technical presentations will focus on new battery designs, manufacturing techniques, battery materials and chemicals, power management, charging, testing and monitoring systems, as well as the latest trends affecting the market.

The event will be divided into five separate tracks, so you can customize the conference to fit your interests. The tracks will cover the trends and technologies in portable & military applications, stationary/telecom applications, automotive/electric vehicle applications, battery manufacturing and battery research & development.

Speaking opportunities are available for the Automotive/Electric Vehicle Track and the Stationary/Telecom Track. Poster sessions are also available. Contact Shannon Given for details.

PowerGenix , Inc., a developer of high-rate discharge, rechargeable nickel-zinc ( NiZn) batteries, has announced that the World Economic Forum selected PowerGenix as one of 47 Technology Pioneers for 2007. The Technology Pioneers were nominated by the world's leading venture capital and technology companies. The final selection from 225 nominees was made by a panel of leading technology experts appointed by the World Economic Forum.

PowerGenix has developed and patented a next-generation NiZn rechargeable battery technology especially suited as a replacement in high power nickel-cadmium ( NiCd) and nickel metal-hydride ( NiMH) applications. PowerGenix's initial products will target high-rate discharge applications such as cordless power tools and military applications; with longer-term plans to enter markets including light electric bikes and scooters as well as the consumer AA/AAA rechargeable products category. The company's battery technology offers key strategic advantages including high-performance, low-cost and safety - all without the toxic environmental impact associated with today's commonly used rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.

"We're honored to be chosen as a Technology Pioneer for 2007," said Dan Squiller, CEO of PowerGenix. "Our patented nickel-zinc technology allows us to produce rechargeable batteries that are small, light weight, high power and environmentally friendly for a broad range of global applications. We're very pleased that we have been recognized for our work from such a prestigious organization," added Squiller.

Technology Pioneers are companies that have been identified as developing and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas of energy, biotechnology and health, and information technology. This year's class of companies has been selected not only because of the cutting-edge work undertaken by these organizations, but also because their work has potential long-term impact on business and society.

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of life-changing technology innovation and have the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership, show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader - and its technology must be proven.

I.D. Systems, Inc., a   provider of wireless solutions for improving industrial resource management, and C&D Technologies, Inc, a producer and marketer of electrical power storage and conversion systems, have entered into a strategic agreement to market a new generation of wireless technology for managing the batteries that power industrial trucks. The I.D. Systems-developed system will be marketed under both the C&D Technologies and I.D. Systems names.

The new system is based on I.D. Systems' Wireless Asset Net platform, which utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to control, track, monitor, and analyze material handling vehicles and other industrial assets. In busy manufacturing and distribution facilities, such vehicles typically require multiple batteries to sustain productivity throughout the workday. These batteries represent a significant capital investment and the changing/recharging process they require can significantly reduce productivity.

The new system will integrate automated battery change management, in-depth battery and charger data collection, and advanced management tools for remote system monitoring and analysis. I.D. Systems and C&D Technologies expect these functions will provide users with many benefits, including more efficient battery swaps, at the optimal frequency, to reduce vehicle/operator down time and increase productivity;

more timely, detailed battery/operator usage data to enable management to right-size its battery fleet and reduce capital costs; and improved visibility of, and control over, battery temperature and   depth-of-discharge data to extend battery life and further reduce   capital costs.

"We are very excited to partner with I.D. Systems," said D'Arcy O'Neill, C&D's vice president of sales. "The combination of C&D's innovative industrial motive power systems and I.D. Systems' Wireless Asset Net is a natural fit, where our ability to generate detailed battery and charger information is significantly enhanced and competitively differentiated by the real-time visibility and control afforded by I.D. Systems' industry-leading wireless technology."

A123Systems will supply General Motors Corp. advanced Lithium Ion batteries optimized for plug in hybrid vehicles through its Tier 1 partner, Cobasys LLC.

A123Systems’ batteries will be evaluated in prototype Saturn Green Line Vue plug-in hybrid SUVs later this year. GM recently announced its intention to produce a Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid SUV that has the potential to achieve double the fuel efficiency of any current SUV.

“We are committed to offering commercially viable, sustainable and safe alternative vehicles,” said Denise Gray, GM’s newly appointed director of hybrid energy storage systems. “In order to do so, we need battery suppliers that can provide us with durable and reliable batteries that help us accelerate production-ready designs. We look forward to the testing and development stages with A123Systems.”

Recently ,   A123Systems was awarded a $15 million development contract by the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), an organization composed of DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation. USABC awarded the contract in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to optimize the A123Systems proprietary doped nanophosphate battery technology for hybrid electric vehicle applications with a focus on systems that are high-power, abuse-tolerant, long lasting and cost effective.

“We are looking forward to working General Motors and Cobasys on this program,” said David Vieau, president and CEO of A123Systems. “Our work with the world’s largest automaker will help validate the durability, reliability, safety and value of our battery technology and the overall market viability of alternative energy vehicles.”

Uniross SA has announced the acquisition of Multiplier Industries Corp. Since the introduction of Uniross into North America and its successful stock exchange listing in July 2006, Uniross has been aggressively pursuing its international development and growth strategy.

The Multiplier acquisition enables Uniross to become a major player in the highly specific market of replacement batteries for two-way radios. Uniross now offers a complete solution of batteries and chargers in the portable energy market.

Much of the Multiplier sales in North America are with customers such as the major railroads, public safety organizations, transportation companies, defense and services among many others. Multiplier is 9001-2000 ISO certified and has FM approvals for more than 50 battery offerings.

"This acquisition allows us to integrate a key market in the United States via a company with excellent customer service and quality products. The acquisition of Multiplier confirms Uniross' position as the specialist in portable energy solutions for consumer, professional and industrial markets in the United States," announced Craig Taylor, CEO of Uniross North America.

Lenmar Enterprises, Inc. has introduced a compact line of portable Bat Paks: 2-in-1 universal battery packs that also function as a charger to recharge portable electronic devices ranging from cell phones to laptops.

The three models consist of one powered by 4 AAA batteries delivering up to 14 hours of extended power for devices accepting 5 V USB power such as Cell Phones, MP3s, PDAs and even PSPs. The second is an ultra slim-line rechargeable Lithium-Ion cell providing up to 20 hours of portable back-up power for handheld devices. The third is a compact external laptop Lithium-Ion battery giving an extra two to four hours of portability for travelers.

Intersil Corp. has introduced the ISL9206, a highly cost-effective fixed-secret hash engine based on Intersil’s second generation FlexiHash+ technology. The device provides a fast and flexible authentication process, and multi-pass authentication can be used to provide the highest possible security level.

Authentication is achieved through a challenge-response scheme that does not require a fixed challenge and therefore eliminates situations where eavesdropping on the communication bus could reveal the secrets. The unique secret is never communicated between the host and the device being authenticated.

"A counterfeit prevention solution utilizing the ISL9206 offers safety and revenue protection at the lowest cost and power,” said Andrew Rhind, vice president and general manager for Intersil’s Consumer Power products group. “This device is suitable for protection against unapproved third-party products for a wide variety of low-cost applications.”

Intersil’s ISL9206 is well suitedfor use in systems such as mobile phones, printer cartridges, power tools and medical devices that require active authentication to protect consumers against fraud and to protect intellectual property. Mobile phones utilizing Lithium-based batteries are particularly vulnerable to counterfeit batteries and the ISL9206 will help to identify counterfeit batteries so the system can take appropriate action.

The ISL9206 is a highly cost-effective fixed-secret hash engine based on Intersil’s second generation FlexiHash+ technology. It has a wide operating voltage range and is suitable for direct powering from a 1-cell Li-ion/Li-poly or a 3-cell series NiMH battery pack. Higher cell count/voltage packs are also supported by connecting to the lowest cell in the stack.

Philadelphia Scientific has introduced the Stealth Float, a float-based battery watering system that can operate at lower water pressures and is suited for installations of five to 25 batteries.

Unlike other similar systems, Stealth Float makes multiple float sizes unnecessary, as this unique design incorporates a one-size-fits-all philosophy to ensure that all battery cells are filled to the same level simultaneously. Push-fit tubing connections make for quick, secure installation in just a few minutes and eliminate problems associated with alternative barb-based float systems, such as breakage. A highly visible fill-level indicator is viewable from the top and side of the battery, so an operator knows instantly when water is required. And, at only 0.60 inches high, Stealth Float is the lowest profile single point watering system in the battery maintenance market.

February
19-21 - Military Energy Alternatives, Arlington, Va.

21-23 - Electric West, Long Beach, Calif. To register, call 800-927-5007.

25-3/1 - APEC 2007, Anahiem, Calif.

March
19-22 - 24th International Battery Seminar and Exhibit, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Contact Florida Educational Seminars at 561-367-0193 or email.

20-22 - Aviation Industry Expo, Orlando, Fla. To register, call 800-827-8009.

27-29 - CTIA Wireless, Orlando, Fla. Contact CTIA at 301-694-5243 or email.

28-30 - IWCE, Las Vegas, Nev.

IPSS Symposium
25th International Power Sources Symposium & Exhibition
23 -25 April 2007
Assembly Rooms, Bath UK

The overall aim of the International Power Sources Symposium is to advance the education of the general public by improving understanding and knowledge in the field of research and development in the use of non-mechanical power sources, particularly batteries and fuel cells, as well as photovoltaic and other non-electrochemical power sources.

International Power Sources Symposium (IPSS) was formed in 1958. Today it is run by a board of trustees drawn from UK Government departments, academia, battery and fuel cell manufacturers and supply companies. The main functions of IPSS are to hold major Symposiums every two years, together with regular educational seminars. To learn more about the 2007 Symposium visit the web site: http://www.ipss.org.uk/

UTC TELECOM 2007
May 6 - 9, 2007
Austin, Texas

Chicago, Illinois | May 6-11, 2007
Hilton Chicago

ECS holds international meetings in the spring and fall of each year, providing a forum for exchanging information on the latest scientific and technical developments in the fields of electrochemical and solid-state science and technology. ECS meetings bring together scientists, engineers, and researchers from academia, industry, and government laboratories to share results and discuss issues on related topics through a variety of formats, such as oral presentations, poster sessions, panel discussions, and tutorial sessions. For more information on the spring meeting in Chicago, IL please visit http://www.electrochem.org/meetings/biannual/211/211.htm.

EDS 2007
May 15 – 17, 2007
Paris Hotel - Las Vegas, NV

EDS, Electronic Distribution Show and Conference,  is the annual meeting place and market place for the global community of manufacturers of electronic components, instruments and accessories and the distributors and  manufacturers' representatives through whom their goods are brought to market.  
EDS includes product exhibits, educational programs, networking opportunities, as well as scheduled meeting between participating companies.  The emphasis at EDS is not on technology but on marketing -- on forging and maintaining business relationships among manufacturers, distributors, and representatives. 

EDS 2007 takes place May 15 to May 17 at the Paris Hotel, Las Vegas.  www.edsc.org 

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