Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Salvador Dali had the idea of painting The Persistence of Memory which represents, amid Mediterranean landscape, three soft watches placed on rocks, one night when he was alone and slightly sick, on his way to his kitchen to get something to eat, and there fell on a runny camembert which struck his imagination.

Maybe the international team from the University of Illinois drew inspiration from Dali painting to develop its soft lithium-ion battery. This battery can be stretched out up to three times its size!

To achieve this, the research team has developed 600 nanometres wide small-scale energy storage cells. These very spaced apart cells are connected with aluminium and copper thread gathered like accordion pleats and thus capable of unfolding.

The whole thing is maintained by a protective layer of elastic polymer that can stretch, so permitting electric current to continue to flow.

Moreover, the battery apparently can be charged by induction, therefore wireless.

Unfortunately, for now the life span of this battery is quite low.

Additional development efforts to improve its longevity should be made before marketing, to achieve a reputation equal to that of toffee that Bourvil knew so well how to use in Heaven Sent (Un drôle de paroissien) by Jean-Pierre Mocky.
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