The center for research on extreme batteries

The Center for Research on Extreme Batteries (CREB) was formed to develop batteries to meet the extreme needs of the defense, aerospace, and biomedical industries. The concept grew out of a partnership between ARL and UMD, with the addition of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and NY BEST. The categories of batteries used in DoD span multiple platforms, similar to commercial sector’s portable electronics, transportation and grid-storage, can be described as three main categories. These include Soldier Power, Mobile Power, and Local Grids. Between the two key parameters, energy and power density, Soldier Power especially favors the former because resupply and/or recharging are usually inaccessible for the dismounted soldiers during extended duration missions. For space exploration, high energy density is critical given extreme limitations on both mass and volume for rocket-launched payloads. But the battery requirements for NASA extend beyond extreme energy density to extremes in temperature and radiation exposure. The implanted batteries are the sole source of energy and provide the power for monitoring, therapy as well as communication with the biomedical device.