InteliSpark client, Vishwa Robotics and Automation, LLC, secures research funding from the Department of Defense – US Navy for their project, “Advanced Non-Electrochemical Energy Storage Technology.”
Battery systems power unmanned undersea and surface vehicles, marine sensors, propulsion systems, electronics and back-up power systems in support of the United States Naval operations across the globe. The challenge is that current technology is struggling to meet the need for a battery that has both high specific energy and high energy density, two features required for high-powered systems. The US Navy must also consider safety risks, such as fires and environmental and operating risks, and performance across environments with varying temperature and pressure, in powering their vehicles and systems.
Vishwa Robotics, a Massachusetts-based startup, is attempting to address these significant technical challenges through the creation of a novel, non-electrochemical battery that has much higher specific power and energy density than lithium-ion batteries. The US Navy acknowledges the great promise in this new technology by funding phase I of this research project through the competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Vishwa Robotics’ mission in “engineering robotic systems to create a better future for mankind” aligns to the SBIR’s program goal to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector for broad societal benefits.