Technology ID
TAB-2939

Emergency Maritime Battery Charger

E-Numbers
E-567-2013-0
Lead Inventor
Woodward, Chelsea (CDC)
Applications
Research Materials
Occupational Safety and Health
Non-Medical Devices
Medical Devices
Therapeutic Areas
Ophthalmology
Oncology
Infectious Disease
Endocrinology
Dental
Cardiology
Development Stages
Prototype
Development Status
  • Early-stage
  • Prototype
Lead IC
CDC
ICs
CDC
Boats and other watercrafts have emergency lifesaving equipment like strobe lamps to help rescuers locate individuals overboard in the event of a disaster. The battery life of the equipment is limited, so the amount of time rescuers have to find the victims is also limited. An emergency battery charger that can power emergency equipment is needed to remove this limitation.

Investigators at NIOSH have developed a battery that is powered by wave action in the water. Using a derivation of Faraday's Law, the principles of Lentz's Law were used to induce a current in a wire coil and manipulated to charge emergency batteries. This technology offers a back-up charger for equipment on boats and watercrafts.
Commercial Applications
  • Battery charger that can be used on personal or commercial boats.
  • Maritime battery charger that can be used for specialized rescue vessels.
Competitive Advantages
  • Charging system is configured to be powered by wave action.
  • Powering mechanism allows the maritime battery charger to be used in boats, life rafts, and personal flotation devices.
  • Maritime charger can be used to charge radios, lamps, and back up batteries for emergency systems.
Licensing Contact:
Mitzelfelt, Jeremiah
jeremiah.mitzelfelt@nih.gov