News

Peptide-based Nanotech Handset Batteries Recharge in 30 Seconds

April 06, 2014 by Jeff Shepard

StoreDot Ltd. unveiled and demonstrated a prototype charging unit, designed for the Samsung Galaxy S4 at Microsoft's Think Next conference yesterday in Tel Aviv, Israel. In addition to being able to recharge in about 30 seconds, the new batteries are expected to have cycle lives measured in the thousands, considerable better than today's lithium-ion batteries. Last year, StoreDot received $6 million from several strategic and private investors including a "major Asian mobile phone maker" and has been using the funds to further advance its technology in mobile devices from the prototype stage to commercialization. Still, mass production is not expected before 2016. And, while the batteries have superior capabilities, the charger needed to achieve the rapid charging is as large as a laptop charger, far larger than today's handset chargers.

“Our innovative nanotechnology, inspired by nature, changes the rules of mobile device capabilities. This investment is important not only as a source of capital, but also as a vote of confidence in our novel approach of utilizing synthesized bio-nanomaterials to shape next-generation devices,” said Dr. Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot.

“Having built our Nanodot core technology, the company’s initial focus will be to introduce dramatic improvements in next-generation smartphones and tablets. This funding is a crucial step enabling us to take our product development efforts to the next level, and develop prototypes that will be available for use in 2015.”

In 2003 Prof. Ehud Gazit and his team at Tel Aviv University conducted research which revealed nano-structures associated with Alzheimer's disease. Inspired by the presence of these biological structures, further nanoscale research by Prof. Gil Rosenman - one of StoreDot’s cofounders - and the StoreDot team, led to the development of StoreDot’s novel technology.

Remarkably uniform in size - only 2 nanometers in diameter, these nanoscale crystals consist of chemically synthesized bio-organic peptide molecules. Furthermore, the breakthrough technology in StoreDot Nanodots is that they demonstrate diverse physical and electrochemical properties at nanoscale, including visible luminescence, showing red, green and blue colors that enhance new generation display technology.

While other nanodot and quantum-dot technologies currently in use are metal or arsenic-based, and, therefore, toxic, StoreDot Nanodots are biocompatible and superior to all previous discoveries in this field. Manufacturing Nanodots is relatively inexpensive as they originate naturally, and utilize a basic biological mechanism of self-assembly. They can be made from a vast range of bio-organic raw materials that are readily available and environmentally friendly.

StoreDot is developing batteries and displays for smartphones and tablets, designed to replace current technology with more efficient power consumption and better color vividness. StoreDot batteries will be charged much faster than current batteries, and will withstand thousands of charge/discharge cycles, prolonging battery life expectancy considerably. Furthermore, StoreDot paper-thin displays can be designed to be flexible and transparent.