M2E Power raises $8M for self-recharging batteries
Like the self-powered “kinetic” watches many people now wear, M2E Power’s batteries include a micro-generator that continuously recharges battery power as the user moves around.
Aiming at soldiers carrying mobile devices in the field, M2E says it can lower the battery weight they need to carry, saying soldiers often have to carry 10-30 pounds more due to battery-powered equipment.
Where most kinetic watches use the motion of a mechanical arm to wind, M2E’s technology uses magnets in a wire coil. The movement of a magnet in the electromagnetic field created by the coil provides the charge.
Similar technology has been in use for years, most recently finding its way into so-called “shake” flashlights that need to be shaken back and forth before they light up. M2E’s innovation is an improving the generating architecture to generate more power and attaching the resulting mini-generator to a battery.
While it was conceived during a U.S. Department of Energy project and for now focused on military applications, M2E batteries should also find their way into consumer uses. One could power, for instance, a BlackBerry or digital camera.
Later, when scaled upward in size, they could become part of commercial electrical generators, working off wave or wind power.
The Boise, Idaho company previously took an undisclosed round of seed funding. Its $8 million round was led by OVP Venture Partners, with participation from @Ventures and Highway 12 Ventures.
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About the Author, Chris Morrison
Chris Morrison writes about cleantech and environmental issues for VentureBeat, with occasional forays into gaming and semantic technology. He got his start writing about tech for Business 2.0 magazine, but quickly realized new media was the ticket when that institution closed its doors in 2007. Chris has also covered public equities and regulatory issues. He originally hails from southern Virginia, graduated from Evergreen State College in Washington, and now lives in San Francisco.