A lab worker disconnects from a charger a mobile phone, displaying a timer indicating that the battery was fully charged under 30 seconds, at the headquarters of StoreDot in Tel Aviv October 23, 2014.
An Israeli company says it has developed technology that can charge a mobile phone in a few seconds and an electric car in minutes, advances that could transform two of the world's most dynamic consumer industries.
以色列一家公司開(kāi)發(fā)出一種新技術(shù),可在幾秒鐘內(nèi)完成手機(jī)充電,充電動(dòng)汽車(chē)甚至僅需幾分鐘。這項(xiàng)技術(shù)進(jìn)步可能改變世界上發(fā)展最快的兩大消費(fèi)產(chǎn)業(yè)。
Using nano-technology to synthesize artificial molecules, Tel Aviv-based StoreDot says it has developed a battery that can store a much higher charge more quickly, in effect acting like a super-dense sponge to soak up power and retain it.
位于特拉維夫市的StoreDot公司利用納米技術(shù)合成人造分子,研制出一款能夠更快地充入更多電量的新電池。這就像是一塊高密度海綿,能夠迅速吸收電力并儲(chǔ)存起來(lái)。
While the prototype is currently far too bulky for a mobile phone, the company believes it will be ready by 2016 to market a slim battery that can absorb and deliver a day's power for a smartphone in just 30 seconds.
盡管現(xiàn)有的原型體積遠(yuǎn)超一般智能手機(jī)電池,但是該公司相信在2016年將向市場(chǎng)推出纖薄的快速電池,并實(shí)現(xiàn)30秒內(nèi)充滿(mǎn)智能手機(jī)足以使用一天的電量。
"These are new materials, they have never been developed before," said Doron Myersdorf, the founder and chief executive of StoreDot, whose investors include Russian billionaire and Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich.
“這些都是從未被使用過(guò)的新材質(zhì),”StoreDot公司創(chuàng)始人兼董事長(zhǎng)多隆-米爾斯多夫(Doron Myersdorf)說(shuō)道。他的贊助商有俄羅斯億萬(wàn)富翁、切爾西足球俱樂(lè)部的老總羅曼-阿布拉莫維奇(Roman Abramovich)。
The innovation is based around the creation of "nanodots", which StoreDot describes as bio-organic peptide molecules. Nanodots alter the way a battery behaves to allow the rapid absorption and, critically, the retention of power.
這項(xiàng)技術(shù)革新基于創(chuàng)新性的“納米點(diǎn)”(nanodots)。這些納米點(diǎn)被StoreDot公司形容為有機(jī)體間的“肽鏈”,他們可以改變電池的性能以更快地吸收、更精準(zhǔn)地儲(chǔ)存電力。
The company has raised $48 million from two rounds of funding, including backing from a leading mobile phone maker. Myersdorf declined to name the company, but said it was Asian.
StoreDot公司目前已經(jīng)在兩輪融資中獲得了4800萬(wàn)美元的投資,投資方還有一家未透露名稱(chēng)的領(lǐng)先手機(jī)廠(chǎng)商。 米爾斯多夫拒絕透露該廠(chǎng)商的名稱(chēng),但稱(chēng)這家公司來(lái)自亞洲。
With the number of smartphone users forecast to reach 1.75 billion this year, StoreDot sees a big market, and some experts think that -- with more work -- it could be on to a winner.
業(yè)內(nèi)人士預(yù)計(jì),今年全球智能手機(jī)用戶(hù)量將達(dá)17億5千萬(wàn),該公司正是看準(zhǔn)了這背后巨大的商機(jī)。因此有專(zhuān)家認(rèn)為,經(jīng)過(guò)更多的研究工作,StoreDot有可能成為行業(yè)的佼佼者。
"We live in a power hungry world ... people are constantly chasing a power outlet. StoreDot has the potential to solve this real big problem," said Zack Weisfeld, who has worked with and evaluated ventures in the mobile phone sector globally.
“我們生活在一個(gè)對(duì)能源饑渴的世界里,人們總是在尋找電力來(lái)源。StoreDot有解決這巨大問(wèn)題的能力,”在全球手機(jī)市場(chǎng)從事和進(jìn)行投資評(píng)估的專(zhuān)家扎克-維斯菲爾德(Zack Weifeld)說(shuō)道
"They still have some way to go, to deal with size of battery and power cycle rounds, but if solvable, it's a very big breakthrough," he told Reuters.
“但是他們還有很長(zhǎng)的路要走,以解決電池體積和充電次數(shù)的問(wèn)題。但如果這些問(wèn)題得到了解決,那么將是巨大的突破。”他向路透社記者說(shuō)到。
Myersdorf said a fast-charge phone would cost $100-$150 more than current models and would ultimately be able to handle 1,500 recharge/discharge cycles, giving it about three years of life.
米爾斯多夫表示,能夠快速充電的手機(jī)將比現(xiàn)時(shí)手機(jī)貴100至150美元,最終能在3年的使用壽命中實(shí)現(xiàn)快速充電1500次。
He hopes to use the same technology to create a car battery that recharges in two or three minutes, rather than current models which commonly need to be charged overnight.
他還希望將這一技術(shù)推廣至電動(dòng)汽車(chē)的領(lǐng)域,在2到3分鐘內(nèi)完成對(duì)車(chē)輛的充電。當(dāng)前,要完成電動(dòng)車(chē)的充電往往需要一整夜。