Tools and information for OEMs is to evaluate and quickly understand how to integrate and use the Mobion platform in their product development efforts.
Expanding on MTI MicroFuel’s current collaboration agreements with major consumer and industrial OEMs across the US, Asia and Europe, the objective of this program is to spur innovation by allowing additional OEMs to better conceptualize, understand and create new products using the Mobion platform. The program enables OEMs to shorten their time to market with a fuel cell powered product by accelerating the learning curve and cycle time associated with new technology. This also allows OEM design teams to engage in early collaborations with MTI MicroFuel to further refine the core Mobion technology for specialized applications with the OEM.
Mobion is an energy generating device that uses DMFC technology. Unlike batteries, which just store energy generated from the power grid, Mobion is a grid-free power source that converts the energy of methanol, a bio-degradable and renewable fuel, into usable electricity. Designed to be used as a portable power alternative to batteries, the Mobion fuel cell offers long life operation, light weight, and never needs to be connected to the electric grid to be recharged.
The launch of this developers program is made possible by the level of maturity MTI MicroFuel has achieved in developing the Mobion platform, which consists of a core modular technology enabling the flexibility required for use with various OEMs operating in varied industries. MTI MicroFuel has also demonstrated a design for replaceable methanol cartridges in its latest prototype announced in December of last year, which facilitates the safe and convenient refueling of the Mobion fuel cell.
The Mobion Developers Kit will include a Mobion fuel cell system, a monitoring software package, an operation manual that provides step-by-step procedures, and design guideline material. Also included are compact removable methanol cartridges for use in the system providing convenient and easy refueling to run and test the energy efficiency of the product. The kit also provides valuable access to MTI MicroFuel’s engineering support team to assist in the design and testing of this grid-free power solution.
With this kit, OEMs can explore the advantages of having green and grid-free power with extended run-time. Through the provided software package, OEMs can monitor and track the fuel cell performance and how the fuel cell operates.
Micro fuel cell technology provides an incredible value offering that can serve consumers in many areas of their lives, said Gadi Amit, founder and principal designer for NewDealDesign, a strategic design firm in San Francisco. MTI MicroFuel’s OEM developers program will serve to help engineers and product design teams to better envision products that can fulfill the potential of this emerging technology, and enable them to bring more ideas for initial products to the table.
We are proud to have reached the stage where Mobion can accommodate the commercialization requirements of many OEMs within different industry segments, said Jim Frawley, director of business development of MTI MicroFuel. Our platform has demonstrated a level of scalability which makes it adaptable to various applications. Additionally, our Mobion device uses 100% methanol as fuel, which ranks as one of the most energy efficient fuels and serves to maximize energy density in a small package.
Battery chemistries have already reached a peak in technology development, and can not keep up with the speed at which portable electronics innovate and integrate new power hungry features. We strongly believe that the widening power gap will be best addressed through the capabilities uniquely offered by micro fuel cell technology, which is now seeing commercialization in its initial stages, Jim Frawley added.
