PALO ALTO, CA /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the lithium ion (Li-ion) power sources market for medical, military, and aerospace applications, Frost & Sullivan presents Quallion LLC with the 2007 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation. The award is in recognition of Quallion's novel electric battery assembly, solid-polymer electrolyte, and lithium ion chemistry, which offer a viable alternative to regular lithium ion batteries.
Quallion's Li-ion batteries serve the purpose of lightweight, safe, and long-life implantable batteries for medical, military, and aerospace applications. Its patented technology provides for reduced battery volume and brazed ceramic seal for batteries. The brazed ceramic seal offers safety to the cell, and the ceramic material makes the device lightweight.
Batteries for implantable medical devices should ideally deliver more than 1 Ah over five years and have mechanisms in place to prevent toxic leakage of materials. This enhances the safety of the energy-source device. Further, units must be designed to self-test and regulate on a daily basis and have alert indicators if further maintenance is required.
From this standpoint, Quallion's Li-ion cells are qualified to power a wide range of devices. This includes cochlear implants, spinal-cord stimulators, glucose sensors, and cardiac rhythm–management devices. Other medical applications include respirators, injection and infusion pumps, portable EKG and ultrasound equipment, and even electric wheelchairs.
"More of Quallion's state-of-the-art Li-ion cells are implanted than those of any other manufacturer in the world," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Abhishek Dutta. "These batteries provide mission-critical reliability so that X-ray machines, monitoring devices, and other diagnostic equipment can be depended upon for fail-safe reliability at all times, even during a power failure."
For military applications, large, heavy lead acid batteries that need frequent replacement have been the option till now. However, Quallion has the expertise to develop advanced power systems that function optimally in harsh conditions, with maximum reliability.
"Though Li-ion batteries are intrinsically less safe than other technologies, Quallion has developed a proprietary enhancement to make its batteries safer," notes Dutta. "With SaFE-LYTE and its specialized Matrix packaging technologies, Quallion's batteries can withstand piercing and compression that might otherwise cause combustion in Li-ion cells."
Quallion is also uniquely positioned to offer battery solutions to the satellite market. Its technology delivers unsurpassed energy density, a critical factor for any customer seeking a power solution for small spacecrafts or needing to shift more of the satellite mass from battery to payload. On a large communications or military satellite, the decision to go with Li-ion could reduce mass by hundreds of pounds and allow more strategic or revenue-producing payloads.
Besides dedicating considerable resources to its R&D and testing wing, Quallion invests heavily in product quality assurance and has a strong focus on meeting dynamic customer needs.
Each year Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has carried out new research, which has resulted in innovation(s) that have or are expected to bring significant contributions to the industry in terms of adoption, change, and competitive posture. The award recognizes the quality and depth of a company's research and development program, as well as the vision and risk-taking that enabled it to undertake such an endeavor.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
About Quallion LLC
Quallion LLC was founded in 1998 by biotechnology and aerospace entrepreneur Alfred E. Mann and Li-ion battery specialist Dr. Hisashi Tsukamoto. Quallion began as a medical-device battery company and soon developed a range of novel enabling technologies, including the "world's smallest implantable secondary battery," as well as its proprietary Zero-Volt and SaFE-LYTE technologies. Quallion develops and manufactures state-of-the-art Li-ion battery technologies for the military, aerospace, medical, and automotive industries. Leveraging its core engineering capabilities, Quallion has since expanded into the aerospace, military, and automotive industries by focusing on niche applications where advanced battery technology, safety, reliability, and custom engineering are most valued. Quallion's services include designing, fabricating, and manufacturing cells and battery packs and developing new battery chemistries.
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