Personal electronic devices are getting smaller, faster, and more capable--which is good. But as their capabilities grow, especially in the direction of wireless communication, so too do their electrical appetites. Modern electronic devices consume a surprisingly large amount of electrical energy, and even the best of today's commercially available batteries--those based on lithium-ion cells--are hard pressed to keep them going for a full day. Charging these batteries takes time, and so road warriors and others find themselves carrying multiple battery packs whose size, weight and expense makes them a very much less than optimal solution.
A promising solution to this problem is the direct conversion alcohol fuel cell, which, as the name implies, converts alcohol directly into electricity. The cells are about the size of conventional battery packs, weigh considerably less, and are quickly and easily refueled in just a few seconds. A report in IEEE Spectrum's June issue details the need for these micro fuel cells, describes the main approaches to making them, and presents an estimate of how the market for them will develop.
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