Companies Aim To Power Sensors With Fuel Cells

Jan 2, 2008 3:09 PM

MTI MicroFuel Cells and Trident Systems are teaming up to pursue opportunities to leverage MTI Micro’s fuel cell technology for consumer markets in low-power military applications. MTI MicroFuel will work with Trident to evaluate the use and integration of MTI’s Mobion direct methanol micro fuel cell technology in Trident’s unattended ground sensors to create long-lasting unattended ground sensor products.

Teaming opportunities include demonstrations of unattended ground sensor prototypes powered by Mobion, and evaluations and potential submissions of proposals for military programs. Financial and other details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Unattended sensors are power-hungry devices often situated in remote locations where changing batteries may not be ideal. Fuel-cell powered sensors could offer the military longer device use time, uninterrupted intelligence data, less dangerous missions, and lower costs due to less frequent battery replacement.

“The small form-factor MTI Micro’s Mobion micro fuel cell, initially designed for handheld consumer devices, is an emerging high-density power supply that can further extend mission time for our unattended ground sensors,” said Walter Pullar, Vice President for Networks & Sensors Division at Trident. For more information, see www.mtimicrofuelcells.com and www.tridsys.com.