By Brad Smith
Friday, November 16, 2007
A Boise startup with technology to use kinetic energy to power cell phones announced $8 million in investor financing today.
M2E Power initially plans on using its technology, which came out of the Idaho National Laboratory, to produce kinetic-energy powered batteries for military use. But the technology also can be used for cell phones and other consumer devices, according to Regan Rowe, business development director.
M2E's technology uses the kinetic energy produced by motion, say a person walking, to supply a trickle of electrical power to recharge a battery. Rowe says a person who is relatively low in activity still moves enough to provide enough power to provide 30 to 60 minutes of talk time on a phone.
She says M2E has been in discussion with handset manufacturers about using the technology, first to provide an aftermarket battery charger but eventually to build the technology into the phone's battery. An aftermarket solution might be available by late 2008 or early 2009, with an in-phone solution to follow.
M2E, which currently has six employees, received its financing from OVP Venture Partners, @Ventures and Highway 12 Ventures.