The credit card battery goes mini - Battery specialist launches its smallest ever, sub credit-card sized, battery

Global battery manufacturer Accutronics has launched its smallest ever medical battery and charger set. The CC1150 mini credit card battery meets the trend in the medical and instrumentation sectors for the growing use of portable and handheld devices.

Having already built a reputation for delivering the latest in smart battery technology for the medical sector, Accutronics' new mini credit-card battery, the CC1150, occupies around half the footprint of a conventional credit card. Measuring in at 54mm square and 9.5mm high, it fits perfectly into smaller, handheld, devices with ease.

Featuring a state of the art impedance tracking fuel gauge, the CC1150 is equipped with an I²C interface, simplifying its integration into the device. Enhanced circuitry provides further protection against over charge, over discharge, over current and short circuit.

"OEMs making handheld devices will be pleased to hear that, with the CC1150 mini, we've not only halved the size of the standard credit card battery, but we've also packed it with the same powerful features as its predecessor," explained Neil Oliver, technical marketing manager at Accutronics. "At the same time, we've still met the vital IEC 62133 safety requirements for batteries manufactured for use in portable applications, as well as UN38.3 transportation regulations.

"To make it a truly global battery, we've accompanied the CC1150 with a new charger, the CX3050, which works anywhere in the world thanks to its AC power adapter and interchangeable blades. For portable and handheld devices, fast charging is just as important as long battery life, so we designed the CX3050 to charge the CC1150 in under 2.5 hours," concluded Oliver.

Both the battery and the CX3050 charger are available off-the-shelf in black and feature Entellion branding. Users can request custom colours, labels and packaging.

Launched in 2011, Accutronics' range of credit card batteries are targeted to meet the needs of medical and instrumentation original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who need a small, off-the-shelf, Lithium-ion smart battery.

Four years after development, the credit-card range of batteries are now used widely in applications ranging from industrial laser measurement devices to medical infusion pumps. Other innovations such as desktop charging have given users the flexibility to charge batteries outside of their devices.

30 second charging: boon or bane?

Israeli company StoreDot has developed a new battery that could one day allow a phone to be charged in 30 seconds. It seems too good to be true, so we uncover the technology behind the headlines and explore the long term implications.

Accutronics' smallest battery

By Neil Oliver

It's a daily battle; morning, noon or night, come rain or shine, at home or while travelling, it's one of the most annoying daily occurrences. I am of course referring to that moment when your battery dies.

Well, it seems that this problem may not be around for much longer. Israeli company StoreDot has designed a new biological semiconductor material that has some unique characteristics.

Developed from naturally occurring compounds these ‘quantum dots’ are made up of peptides; the short chains of amino acids that form the building blocks of all proteins. When manipulated in the right conditions, these peptides can naturally grow into a crystalline formation in a tight, intricate structure, where the molecules are less than two nanometres apart.

The resultant quantum dot material, exhibits remarkable properties. Its confined nanocrystalline structure means that it can be excited on frequencies in the visible spectrum and, because it’s comprised of semiconductor materials, it is able to hold electrical charge highly efficiently.

What this means is that the same quantum dot material could eventually be used as the device display, the battery and power unit and the memory and storage module all in one. Just think about that for a second, a single panel material can essentially replace the multiple materials and components of current devices.

StoreDot has only just scratched the surface of this technology. Their quantum dot battery charges from flat to full in less than 30 seconds. However, using the same material as an internal layer in a flexible casing could yield a paper thin device, flexible enough to wrap around a wrist or be used as surface materials on public transport and even used for fully digital, yet biodegradable, newspapers and books.

However, it's important to remember that this innovation, whilst potentially revolutionary, must still undergo rigorous testing challenges to ascertain its behaviour in high and low temperatures, its structural integrity under mechanical strain and degradation over time. The cost of production will need to compete with already well established organic materials such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) already used widely by device manufacturers.

So is 30 second charging a boon or a bane? For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), this technology highlights the importance of holistic and integrated design. As we continue to become reliant on wearable and portable medical equipment, the need to match innovative design with reliable, safe and secure battery systems becomes ever more important.

For expert guidance on the best choice of batteries and chargers for your applications please get in touch with sales@accutronics.co.uk for further information.

Standing on the precipice looking down

Have you seen the film Sliding Doors? In the movie, Gwyneth Paltrow's love life and career hinge on one defining moment; whether or not she catches a train. I recently had my own Sliding Doors moment, that illustrated how design for medical devices can easily go in two very different directions.

by Rob Phillips

Smart batteries for medical devices

I was recently invited to a supplier day by an OEM, where the plastics, fan motherboard and smart battery providers got together with the design engineers from the client to talk over a new project. I call this type of gathering a precipice meeting; it allows you to work together as a team, standing on the edge of a precipice before the project truly begins.

In the 'bad old days' suppliers in each of those categories were usually pitted against each other, one manufacturer played off against the other, and the purchasing team would try to pick out good ideas from the various proposals.

Today, the modern precipice meeting is smarter and more inclusive, allowing suppliers to prove their worth by creating the most functional solution, not simply the cheapest. The purchasing people are partnered more effectively with the designers, which can only be a positive when it comes to the end product.

Life-critical applications
Medical technology is one of the world’s fastest growing industries and, because medical devices and equipment can be life-critical, they demand designs which are innovative, but also safe and reliable. During the early stage of the design process it's invaluable to share ideas of best practice and discuss the possible pitfalls. The input produced can have a huge impact on the design and its ultimate success.

Design engineers are clued-up when it comes to their product as a whole, but they can't be expected to be an authority on every component of the design. As battery experts we believe that OEMs should not be shackled by commodity batteries and we relish the chance to align ourselves with creative manufacturers. For us, a huge amount of energy and anticipation goes into every project and it's exciting to play our part in delivering a new generation of medical device.

Sharing ideas
Of course, it requires an element of trust between each of the members of the group, because they share their intellectual property, but the end result is a better environment and product for all involved. It's not just the design engineer who comes away with new ideas, having different manufacturers in the room means that you can all gain insights into areas outside your sphere of activity.


Precipice meetings are true Sliding Doors moments. They are an opportunity to test a project and fix the potential problems a long time before manufacturing begins. I'm sure Gwyneth Paltrow and the rest of the team behind the movie would approve.