British defence firm BAE Systems has developed a battery technology that stores electrical charge within the physical structure of the gadget itself.
These so-called structural batteries can work with anything that requires electricity, from phones to vehicles. As it reduces the device's size and weight it could help lighten the load of soldiers' rucksacks.
BAE engineers merged nickel-based battery chemistries into composite materials, before moulding the combo into complex 3D shapes. This formed the structure of a device, and has been demonstrated in a rudimentary torch and a small unmanned air vehicle.
According to BAE, the device could then be plugged in when it needed recharging, or it could utilise renewable power sources like solar energy.
The Ministry of Defence is understood to have shown an interest in British troops using the batteries, says the Press Association. But the possible uses extends beyond the battlefield.
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