Heart of the matter: The real role of the battery in medical and healthcare device design

The heart of the matter: medical

At Accutronics we appreciate that, when sourcing technology for medical device design applications, it’s easy to focus on the finer technical details and lose sight of the tangible value the technology delivers.

We see the real value in the inherent purpose of our professional battery applications as opposed to just the technical functionality, important as that is. To highlight this we are producing a series of blog posts that look beyond the technology at the end use of our products in various industry sectors; starting with batteries for medical and healthcare device design.

The battery is a key component of the medical equipment that allows healthcare delivery to be run in a much more flexible, reliable and efficient manner. Developments in battery technology enable an increasingly supportive and patient centric service. For example, portable back-up power packs can now be used to power home-use medical ventilators, giving patients with respiratory illnesses confidence and security in their own homes.

On X-ray machines, the development of powerful, lightweight batteries has enabled portable versions to be designed. This allows X-rays to be carried out more quickly and cheaper than ever before whilst retaining the same levels of quality. These kinds of devices help medical professionals rapidly and accurately assess the needs of casualty patients.

Our products also power innovation in disease detection. Battery powered Pillcam systems (also known as capsule endoscopy) identify gastro-intestinal disease without the need for surgical procedures, making savings of time, cost and well being.

Finally, our battery and charger systems enable critically ill patients to be transported whilst remaining connected to life-saving monitors and ventilators. Patients would, quite literally, not survive the journey without this essential piece of equipment.

We see Accutronics’ future in the medical design industry as contributing to continued progress and development of the device itself using the application of ever more advanced battery technology. One of the ways we believe we can achieve this is by continually re-focussing on the purpose of the end technology, allowing us to concentrate our technical understanding on helping our customers achieve their objective.

If you want to discuss the development of batteries for the medical sector, please contact our sales and customer service team on +44 (0) 1782 566688 to discuss your requirements.

Credit card sized rechargeable battery for portable electronic devices launched at Embedded World

Accutronics, the UK based developer and manufacturer of professional battery solutions, is set to launch a range of ‘Intellion’ credit card sized batteries for portable applications at Embedded World. These new smart batteries are ideal for high-tech portable applications including tele-healthcare devices, test and measurement equipment and wearable computers. Embedded World is taking place at the NürnbergMesse GmbH, Messezentrum in Nuremberg Germany between February 28 and March 1, Hall 2, Stand 2-502.

Credit card sized batteries on show at Embedded World

The CC2300 and CC3800 credit card batteries have been developed by Accutronics in response to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) demand for a short lead time, compact and rechargeable Lithium Ion battery solution for their portable devices. The products feature 3.7V Lithium Ion cell technology coupled with an impedance tracking fuel gauge, an active protection system, and a compact connector, all contained in a package with a footprint identical to that of a credit card. Regulatory approval is simplified as both batteries are CE marked and have been tested to IEC62133 (safety) and UN38.3 (transportation) standard. Both batteries are supplied with comprehensive technical back-up and a number of useful accessories which enable the OEM designer to easily integrate the battery into the device system.

“The demand for this kind of product might seem surprising, given the abundant availability of Lithium ion batteries in consumer electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers,” explained Neil Oliver, technical marketing manager at Accutronics. “However, consumer-market batteries do not satisfy the requirements of OEMs in the quality-driven professional electronic device sector, so we’ve created these new credit card batteries to satisfy OEM demand”.

“The crux of all of our products is the technical support that goes hand in hand with them,” explained Oliver. “We believe that our credit card batteries fill a gap in the compact battery market for a fully-supported, OEM oriented battery solution. Device design engineers need technical guidance and feedback when they specify battery products and Accutronics is one of the few companies providing that support as standard. In addition to this, our excellent quality and delivery performance complete the service package that will get the device OEM to market quickly and confidently.”

The credit card batteries are part of the ‘Intellion’ range from Accutronics. Intellion products are smart, innovative portable power products, designed to meet the emerging needs of professional OEMs and market trends.

B is for Banks... and the search for fuel gauge Nirvana

Carl Banks with a Lithium-ion fuel gauge PCB

We’ve all been there... Just as you turn on your laptop to deliver the key presentation of your entire career, the infernal machine runs out of power and you are left with a blank screen. It’s not possible! You checked the power gauge before you left the office and it said 80% remaining!

If you work in the battery industry, you have probably already used exactly this analogy to describe the importance of accurate gauging. It’s certainly a story familiar to Carl Banks, one of Accutronics’ fuel gauging experts. 

Amongst Carl’s key responsibilities is ensuring that all of Accutronics’ batteries are configured to provide the most accurate gauging possible. 

The fuel gauge is a vital part of a professional battery solution. The more accurate it is, the better it can track capacity and the more realistic the device’s predicted run time will be. In mission critical situations, like medical devices and military equipment this can be crucial.

“Of course, there are some applications where the fuel gauge isn’t as important as it is on a medical ventilator or pair of night vision goggles,” explained Carl. “But our customers are leaders in their chosen markets and they demand precise and reliable information whether the battery is brand new or many years old. This is why we test our batteries under various usage scenarios, continually collecting the data that is needed to set-up the fuel gauge.

“The most significant environmental factor that affects fuel gauge accuracy is temperature,” Carl continued. “However, we also have to address non-environmental issues such as charge and discharge rates and cycle life. Put simply, the more the battery is used the more its capacity drops over time, and the fuel gauge must account for this behaviour.”

“We use Texas Instruments’ gauges in many of our products,” Carl went on. “The data we gather from our tests is analysed and used in the programming of the fuel gauges’ FLASH memory. The whole process can take many weeks but it ensures we achieve the best possible precision.”

Carl was keen to emphasise the importance of the ‘impedance tracking’ fuel gauge technology that Accutronics now use in most of their new smart battery developments. This technology allows the battery fuel gauge to continually make adjustments to its remaining capacity prediction - even when the battery is not being used, by measuring the battery impedance during periods of inactivity. Older ‘coulomb counting’ gauges had to ‘learn’ about a battery by establishing the top of charge and discharge limits first. As a result, a battery fuel gauge that uses impedance tracking is more accurate and can be used for longer without needing to be calibrated – this means that customers can rely on the fuel gauge information and don’t need to spend time fully charging and discharging their devices to obtain accurate information.

So, next time you’re sitting in front of a redundant laptop, wishing you had a more accurate power gauge, spare a thought for Carl and his quest for fuel gauge nirvana, which helps ensure that genuinely mission critical applications don’t suffer the same problems as your laptop.

Accutronics shortlisted for major award

Earlier this week we learned that we've been shortlisted for the 2012 British Business Awards in the Small Business of the Year category. We’re really excited about the honour here, so we thought we’d share some details with you. 

The yearly British Business Awards celebrate exceptional performance in business and acknowledge those organisations that have made an impact in their industry sector. With nine different categories, the awards are designed to promote and encourage startups,
SMEs and large companies alike.

Participating enterprises in Small Business of the Year Award have to demonstrate solid success, be it growth or exploiting new products, production techniques, services or markets. The British Business Awards are run in conjunction with the Sentinel newspaper.

Here at Accutronics we have taken an innovative approach to all of our products and quality manufacturing has been at the forefront of our endeavors.

Our entry was covered by the Sentinel and here is what the journalists had to say:

“Today the Newcastle-under-Lyme battery firm, with its Li-on (lithium ion) range is a power house on the world stage (…)Currently employing some 45 people, it is exporting to over 30 countries and is a contender for The Sentinel Business Awards – having been nominated for the Staffordshire University-sponsored Small Business of the Year Award.”

You can read the full article here.

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this award,” said Robert Philips, managing director at Accutronics.  “Especially since it’s the first time we’ve entered! I think being shortlisted should be regarded as a reward for the whole team’s effort. We have a great working environment with experienced people here and I think it’s starting to show in achievements like this one. So keep your fingers crossed for us,” he concluded.

Accutronics at Embedded World 2012

From the 28th of February to the 1st of March we will be at the Embedded World 2012 exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany.

This is the first year that Accutronics have exhibited at this event. With the ever growing use of our smart battery products in embedded systems we want to get closer to existing and new customers alike.

You can visit us in Hall 2, booth number 502. Myself, Sales Manager Mark Edlin, Managing Director Rob Phillips and Senior Electronics Engineer Steve Dodds will be on hand over the three days to answer your questions and delight you with our products. I look forward to seeing you there.

If you need an invite to the exhibtion then please drop me an email and I will arrange for a ticket to be sent to you. Remember that 2012 is a leap year - so you are also welcome on the 29th of February.

Visit the Embedded World 2012 Website here

Neil

I need a smart battery charger that will work in a car! - HELP!

For heavy users of batteries the need to charge them is paramount. It is true to say that if you are a professional user of portable electronic equipment you will want lots of charged batteries around so you can complete your job - especially if you are away from a mains electricity supply.

For customers who buy the range of Inspired Energy standard smart batteries there is an ideal solution with the CH7000 charger that can accept a 10-24V input - this means that you can charge any of the Inspired Energy standard smart batteries from your car cigarette lighter socket - ideal for professionals on the move, on building sites, out in the desert, in a field or doing geological surveys of active volcanoes (yes, these batteries get used everywhere).

The CH7000 uses clever circuitry that allows it to harvest power from virtually any power source within the 10V-24V range, including solar cells, wind generators etc. It even steps the voltage up and down so it can use a 12V input and charge a battery requesting 16.8V - clever eh!?  Of course the CH7000 also comes with a regular 60W desktop supply so you can plug it into the mains when you get back to base.

Accutronics is the sole distributor for the wide range of standard smart batteries, chargers and accessories from Inspired Energy. If you need a CH7000 then please visit our website. If you want a copy of our catalogue then please drop me an email.

Neil

Batteries and Fuel Cells Training Seminar

Today I am able to announce something truly special: Accutronics has partnered with Shmuel De-Leon Energy to provide a two day 'Batteries and Fuel Cells' training seminar during the 2nd and 3rd of May 2012.

Mr De-Leon is a world expert on both batteries and fuel cells and is travelling over from Israel specifically to deliver this seminar which I hope you will attend. The seminar has previously been delivered in both Europe and the USA.

Key Benefits of the Seminar:

• A comprehensive review of current and future electrochemical energy sources.
• Provides training on cells and raw material selection, design, manufacturing, testing, safety, transportation and disposal aspects of energy sources.
• Distills basic knowledge for new employees entering the field.
• Expands the knowledge of industry members already working in the field.
• Training on 'Energy Sources Database' software – a vital tool for optimal energy source design.

You can find out more about the seminar here. If you have any questions then please contact me directly at neil.oliver@accutronics.co.uk or call me on +44 (0) 1782 566688.