Today, IBM and Sanyo have introduced plans for a prototype micro direct methanol fuel cell system to power IBM ThinkPad notebooks.
Using Sanyo’s latest advancements in fuel cells, which can be used to increase the longevity of notebook batteries, the two companies designed a prototype fuel cell system that could supply up to 8 hours of power on current and future ThinkPad models.
The driving force for the joint-design was to develop a fuel cell that would not require the alteration of the ThinkPad notebook’s internal power architecture. With power supplies lasting this long, notebooks will be better equipped to run powerful applications like multimedia and graphics programs, while performing tasks such as security updates and scheduled maintenance without draining PC battery power.
“There are a number of vendors developing fuel cell battery prototypes for PCs and mobile devices, but the combination of IBM’s first-class ThinkPad notebooks and Sanyo’s leadership position in the technology will accelerate research and development in the field,” said Peter Hortensius, vice president, IBM Personal Computing Division. “We do not focus simply on the ‘wow factor’ of fuel cells — we see it as a powerful enabler that could support a wide variety of business applications. These companies are collaborating to help carry ThinkPad notebooks to the next generation of power supplies, while supporting the highest levels of business productivity.”
IBM has made a 2-minute demonstration video available to those who are interested. To view the demonstration, click here.
murdok | Breaking eBusiness News
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