Internet Viral Marketing used in ITRI for its STOBA - “The World’s Safest Battery” campaign

Nov. 11, 2009 - PRLog -- http://itri.org.tw/STOBA

HSINCHU, TAIWAN, Nov. 9, 2009 –ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), Taiwan’s largest and one of the world’s leading high-tech research and development institutions, is officially releasing a key battery technology “STOBA” which can be applied to any LiPo battery common to our phones (including iPhone) and motor vehicles. The technology has won the R&D 100 Awards in November 2009, putting it on a par with Intel, NASA and the US Argonne National Laboratory.

The technology is also the main theme in the “World’s SAFEST Battery” video, which has itself become an internet phenomenon in Asia. The video is recorded as to echo the previous “World’s Most Dangerous Battery” viral video clip.

Although battery explosions are rare, that can happen more easily than you thought. More than ten (10) incidents of battery explosions have been reported since 2002. Most people have the wrong impression that a battery explodes only when it’s overheat or overcharged. In fact, a charged-up battery can explode when the battery membrane/case is “intruded” (or pierced through) by an positively or charged metal object. For example, if you drop your cell phone on the ground and place a metal chair over the battery, it will likely explode and cause serious damage.

In the “World’s Safest Battery” video, we built a cage in which we place a moter-powered metal nail to pierce through into the battery underneath. The horror is recorded in the video. We put a variety of batteries including a cloned iPhone (HiPhone). As soon as the nail broke the membrane, white smoke went out. Flame and sparks were observed and the temperature inside the lab immediately rose to 578 degrees Celsius. We certainly do not want this to happen to a phone in our pocket. Unfortunately, this type of explosion can happen to an “innocent” battery when nothing is attached.

STOBA special ingredient which provides locking response mechanism to avoid explosion. It will likely be the single most important product of the year in the battery world. The technology will solve a lesser-known danger which can in fact happen very easily and extremely difficult to avoid – before the STOBA.

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About ITRI:
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is a nonprofit R&D organization engaging in applied research and technical services. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan’s economy from a labor-intensive industry to a high-tech industry. Numerous well-known high-tech companies in Taiwan, such as leaders in the semiconductor industry TSMC and UMC, can all trace their origins to ITRI.