https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Power


News

QuantumSphere unveils compact backup power supply (with related video)

QuantumSphere unveils compact backup power supply (with related video)

USB device offers the power of more than 100 D-cell batteries; can be used to charge a variety of mobile devices.
  • Written by
  • 22nd January 2013

Battery system provider QuantumSphere recently announced the MetAir Solstice, a compact USB mobile-device charger that provides the equivalent energy capacity of 115 "D" cell batteries under a 2-amp load.

With Solstice, a user can charge an iPhone 5 as many as 20 times and an iPad 3 up to 5 times. The device also can power emergency LED lights for 6 hours per night for 12 nights during times when the commercial power grid is unavailable, according to QuantumSphere President Kevin Maloney.

The Solstice package — which includes an emergency digital radio and some LED lights — is expected to retail at $119 ($99 on Kickstarter), with replacement batteries costing $49, he said.

"We've developed a better engine for a better disposable battery, and that engine runs on our sort of gas and oil, if you will," Maloney said during an interview with Urgent Communications. "We took that combination and put it into a nice form factor — 2.2 pounds, or 1 kilogram — that will deliver the energy equivalent to about 115 D-cell batteries.

"That's a lot of energy for a small, 2.2-pound form factor. An equivalent number of D-cell batteries would cost $230, if they were $2 apiece, and they would be about 40 pounds in weight."

Maloney stressed that Solstice should be used only when the commercial power grid is unavailable. The need for individuals to have a backup power source that can be used to recharge communications devices was highlighted during SuperStorm Sandy, said Matt Griffith, senior mechanical engineer for QuantumSphere.

"I have friends who were really hit pretty badly by Sandy," Griffith said during an interview with Urgent Communications. "They were without food, without power and without warmth. It turned out that the Red Cross literally was like three blocks away from them, but they didn't know about it, because they weren't able to keep their devices charged and didn't have an emergency radio to let them know what was going on.

"So, they missed out on a hot meal and blankets to stay warm, so that kind of emergency power and communication I think is pretty important."

One advantage of Solstice is that the power supply is packaged in a manner that allows the batteries to have a shelf life of at least 3 years, Maloney said.

"The cells are sealed in a hermetically sealed, airtight package, so there's a very long shelf life. If they're not opened and are in their original packaging, they can last several years. If you break the seal, the batteries are on, because they are metal-air batteries. When the air touches the zinc metal inside, it starts to oxidize to create the chemical reaction that creates electricity.

"As long as the air does not touch the battery, it has a very long shelf life. And the beauty of that for first responders and other emergency-preparedness responders is that they don't have to constantly monitor and recharge all of their rechargeable batteries."

While Solstice is targeted for consumer use during emergencies, QuantumSphere also offers a larger power supply — the 28-pound Ranger, which costs $499 and provides 3.5 kilowatt hours of power — that has been popular with emergency-response agencies, Maloney said.

"We think the Ranger — the larger unit — should be in the trunk of every first-response vehicle, and it comes with an LED light and two outlets, so you can continue charging radio devices," he said. "I think it's a good backup for when generators are down and the [commercial power is] unavailable."

Ranger units are available immediately, but Solstice will not be available until August, Maloney said. QuantumSphere is accepting orders for Solstice on the Kickstarter website.

"[Kickstarter] is an interesting platform that gives you free access to masses of early adopters that will back projects that address a need," he said. "We think it's a great forum that kind of matches ideas with capital. And, it gives us immediate feedback from the general public whether they like it or not.

"People who order from Kickstarter are sort of kicking off the production, if you will."

Related Video

Tags: Disaster Response News Power Public Safety News

Most Recent


  • FCC approves order to modernize priority-service rules
    FCC commissioners yesterday voted unanimously to approve a report and order that is designed to modernize and streamline the agency’s rules for three priority-service offerings: Wireless Priority Service (WPS), the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and the Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) System. All three of these services—designed for use by national-security and emergency-preparedness personnel who […]
  • Florida P25 system slated for completion in 2024, will interoperate with FirstNet
    Florida’s efforts to transition its Statewide Law-Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) from legacy EDACS to P25 technology that is augmented by FirstNet broadband service is largely on schedule, with most public-safety users having P25 devices by July, according to an official with contractor L3Harris. Keith Gaston, the SLERS account manager for L3Harris, said that all of […]
  • More Verizon changes: price hikes, departure of biz CEO Erwin
    On the same day that Bloomberg reported on Verizon’s plans to increase prices, the CEO of the company’s business unit, Tami Erwin, announced her plans to leave the company by the end of the year. The developments reflect the difficulties Verizon has been facing amid growing competition in the wireless sector and inflation in the US economy. […]
  • Canada officially gives Huawei and ZTE the boot
    Despite his frothy name, François-Philippe Champagne did not bring any sparkle for Chinese vendors waiting to hear if they would be allowed to sell products in Canada. The Canadian minister of innovation, science and industry had only disappointing news for Huawei and ZTE earlier today. From now on, neither will be allowed to serve Canadian […]

One comment

  1. Avatar Anonymous 24th January 2013 @ 6:32 pm
    Reply

    Took me several tries to
    Took me several tries to actually FIND this KickStarter project.
    Searches for Solstice and QuantumSpere were fruitless. Had to search for ‘battery’. And the ‘deadline’ to fund this is Jan 28, with only 11% of the goal met.
    Biggest problem they don’t mention, is that once you pull the tab to start the reaction, it’s either ‘use it or lose it’. Old fashioned ‘D’ cells don’t have such a restriction. You can partially use it, then put it away and use it again until it’s exhausted. And you won’t be able to find find a replacement cell at your neighborhood store.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • MetAir Solstice portable power system (USB charging ports, emergency LED, radio)
  • Tennessee board reports Nashville bombing impact on 911, future plans
  • Airwaive wants to be an Airbnb for wireless network equipment
  • What AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are doing to harden their networks

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

FCC approves order to modernize priority-service rules dlvr.it/SQmSN0

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

Meet smart city goals cost-effectively dlvr.it/SQmPkr

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

Security for microwave links dlvr.it/SQmNwX

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

Florida P25 system slated for completion in 2024, will interoperate with FirstNet dlvr.it/SQm9cf

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

More Verizon changes: price hikes, departure of biz CEO Erwin dlvr.it/SQlWPT

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

Canada officially gives Huawei and ZTE the boot dlvr.it/SQlGht

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

MITRE creates framework for supply-chain security dlvr.it/SQlFjC

20th May 2022
UrgentComm

John Deere one step closer to fully autonomous farming dlvr.it/SQl7dv

20th May 2022

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X