When I consider future technology my mind usually goes to the
crazy technology that is almost mind boggling, contacts that update you on everything
around you via the internet, self-driving cars, cell phones chips inserted into
our skin. Everything I saw growing up on sci-fi shows is coming to fruition.
But the technology that I always find interesting is the seemingly simple
things that you think have reached their peak and then they find a way to
improve them. One of the things that runs all of the above
mentioned technologies but hasn’t really seen much technological advances are
batteries. Obviously batteries have gotten smaller and a little more efficient
but a charge on my cell phone battery still only last 14 hours. Apparently
researchers across the country have had the same question that I have about why
batteries aren’t improving when they are what is running all this new exciting
technology, because batteries are being researched and improved in a lot of
interesting ways.
According
to Pocket Lint “Big technology companies, and now car companies that are making electric
vehicles, are all too aware of the limitations of lithium-ion batteries.” They
state that these companies are pouring a lot of money into research in
improving the batteries for their technology. They had a list of some
futuristic sounding batteries that they claim aren’t that far from becoming
mainstream.
They
spotlight a lithium-air battery that “uses oxygen as the oxidizer, rather than
a material. The result is batteries that can be a fifth of the price and a
fifth as light as lithium-ion, plus they could make phones and cars last five
times longer.”
Another
the Alfa battery can last up to 14 days and recharges with water. “This battery
will be able to recharge by simply being topped up with water, be it salty or
normal. It should last a hefty 14 days, according to its creators Fuji Pigment
and will be out later this year.”
Other interesting advancements include skin-powered batteries,
ultrasound-powered over the air charging, sound powered and even urine powered.
This technology might not seem as exciting as other future technology but the truth
is that that future technology is pretty worthless without advancements in
batteries. When considering how this will effect social media it will allow
people to use social media without having to plug in their phone. Think of the
times that you are at the very end of your phones battery life so you don’t
take a picture to post to Instagram you don’t do a snap or even get on Facebook
because you have to get home to a charger. These batteries will eliminate that “battery-saving”
habit that we have found ourselves using. Many of the power sources are still
being researched but a few of them were rumored to being close to production. I
can’t wait until I can charge my phone by dipping it in water.
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