The number one technological hurdle separating humanity from the Jetson Future we deserve is developing a reliable power supply. Even today, we’re barely even able to keep out phones alive through the evening commute. But a radical departure in Lithium ion battery technology could help keep our power-hungry gadgets online for days, not hours. More »
It’s been quite a dramatic beginning for the 787 Dreamliner, probably one that Boeing and the airlines weren’t hoping for, but reoccurring failures to the lithium-ion batteries in several 787 aircrafts resulted in the entire fleet getting ground in order to investigate the issue. However, after a few weeks of investigating and troubleshooting, Boeing has completed its first flight of the 787 following the grounding.
According to Reuters, Boeing said that the test flight was “uneventful,” meaning that the two-hour flight didn’t experience any problems, and the lithium-ion batteries seemed to hold up. The plane took off from and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA, and the test crew on board were there to collect detailed information on the batteries while in-flight.
In the meantime, Boeing is redesigning the batteries as a temporary fix until a permanent solution is thought up. While a “temporary fix” might make some flyers queazy, Boeing notes that numerous tests will be run to make sure the redesigned batteries are in 100% working order before they put the planes back up in the air.
It doesn’t look like Boeing will be doing any test flights today, but it’s guaranteed that the company will be conducting numerous test flights over the next few weeks to get to the bottom of the issue. The battery problem has cost airlines tens of millions of dollars, and that number may continue to increase as long as the birds are left on the ground.
[via Reuters]
Boeing completes first 787 test flight following battery investigation is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
The reviews are in for Microsoft’s Surface Pro, and while it’s been a mixed bag overall, we actually enjoyed our time with the tablet, but one area that many people weren’t too pleased about was battery life. During our tests, we were getting around 4.5 to 5 hours, with 6 hours during some occasions. However, it looks like Microsoft may have a solution.
Panos Panay, Microsoft’s corporate vice president working on the Surface tablet, recently hosted an AMA session (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit about the new Surface Pro. When asked if the company had any plans for an external battery of some kind, Panay said that this “would require extending the design of the accessory spine to include some way to transfer higher current between the peripheral and the main battery.”
Luckily, that’s exactly what Microsoft did. The company added new connector plates to the bottom of the Surface Pro, which aren’t being utilized yet, but Panay hinted at the fact that the company may introduce some new accessories down the line that would take advantage of these new connector plates, which may even include an external battery/keyboard hybrid.
Of course, nothing is set in stone, but it sounds like we should be looking forward to some Surface accessories at some point in the future, whether or not that includes an external battery of some kind. It sounds like a battery-equipped keyboard can be done, though, so it doesn’t sound completely farfetched, but we’ll have to wait and see what Redmond has in store for us later this year.
[via PC World]
Microsoft hints at Surface Pro battery add-on is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
After the FAA decided to ground all Boeing 787 Dreamliners last month, a massive investigation began to determine the cause of the battery failures inside the new planes. It turns out that the batteries were overheating and literally melting. However, in order to get all 50 Dreamliners back up in the air, Boeing will be redesigning the battery as a temporary fix.
The battery redesign would minimize the risk of a meltdown happening, thus reducing the risk of a fire on board, which is what was suspected of happening in the past on the new planes. Again, it’s not Boeing’s permanent solution, but they say it’s the quickest way to get the planes back up in the air the safest way.
The redesigned batteries will have more space and separation between cells, and Boeing is also planning to add enhanced heat sensors. Plus, the company also plans to make the battery cells more rigid to keep them from moving around. We’re not sure if the cells were prone to moving around beforehand, but either way, it looks like Boeing is fully committed to using lithium-ion batteries in the 787, rather than nickel-cadmium batteries found in most other planes.
Boeing has hundreds of engineers and other experts working around the clock to resolve this issue, but there’s no word one when the new planes will be ready to fly again. The last we heard, investigations were going smoothly, but there was no rush to get the aircrafts back in service, so it could be a while before we see them in the air again.
[via WSJ]
Boeing to redesign 787 battery as a temporary fix is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
The Wall Street Journal has gotten word that Boeing is preparing tweaks to its 787’s lithium-ion batteries that could minimize the risk of fire and let its Dreamliners take to the skies before a long-term solution is sussed out. Citing industry and government officials, the WSJ says the modifications will see a larger separation between battery cells in an effort to lessen the risk of heat and fire spreading. Other measures may include keeping cells more firmly in place to prevent them from moving about and interfering with electronics, incorporating heat sensors and a beefed-up battery cover that could contain flames and chemicals. Changes to the aircraft aren’t nailed down across the board just yet, and they still need approval by Japanese and American regulators before they can be applied. According to one of the WSJ’s sources, a best-case scenario could see Dreamliners put back on passenger flight duty in March.
[Image credit: Martin Deutsch, Flickr]
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Wall Street Journal
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has been grounded for weeks now, may soon have a chance to fly again. Boeing has proposed a redesign for the bursting in flame batteries that would minimize the risk of fire. It’s not a permanent solution but it would get the 787 in the air for the time being. More »
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