CAP-XX develops high-power LED flash technology for camera phones

Permalink: CAP-XX develops high-power LED flash technology for camera phones by Jan Harris

Australian company CAP-XX has developed high temperature HS and HW series supercapacitors, which could enable high-powered LED flash in camera phones, providing cell phone pictures of a comparable quality to digital camera images, even in low light conditions.

The HS and HW supercapacitors feature a higher-boiling-point electrolyte. This extends operating and storage temperature from 75°C to 85°C, and operating voltage (V) from 4.5V to 5.5V.

The supercapacitors work reliably in devices where nearby components reach very high temperatures and in devices which are exposed to high environmental temperatures such as phones left on a car’s dashboard in direct sunlight. They can also operate at temperatures as low as -40°C.

CAP-XX’s new supercapacitors provide long-life performance at up to 2.75V in single-cell versions, and 5.5V in dual-cell versions with the two cells connected in series.

In tests, the supercapacitors have powered multiple high-current LEDs to full light intensity, producing clear pictures in low light from up to 3 meters away.

They have a unique nanotechnology construction, which provide high energy and power in a thin, lightweight, prismatic package which will fit into slim portable devices.

Charge is stored on nanoporous carbon electrodes on aluminum foil, arranged in multiple layers and connected in parallel to minimize the resistance and maximize the capacitance of the device.

In addition to high-power LED flash for camera phones, PDAs and digital cameras, the supercapacitors have a range of applications including high-power audio amplifiers for mobile audio in cell phones and portable multimedia players.

Technology market research firm, Strategy Analytics, expects high-powered LED flash in cellphones to grow at an annual average rate of 155 percent over the next three year. The company expects the technology to be in over 70 percent of all camera phones by 2010.