IDEAS AND INNOVATION 2009

The global economy has tanked. For many industries, innovation isn't a catchphrase any more - it's the only way out of this mess. Massachusetts-based Lilliputian Systems Inc is in the final stages of development on a matchbook-sized fuel cell that separates butane gas into electricity and carbon dioxide. By this time next year, Lilliputian plans to be selling a compact universal USB travel charger able to power a BlackBerry for days - or even weeks - at a stretch. It wouldn't come a moment too soon. The last great innovation in energy storage came when researchers developed the lithium-ion (li-ion) battery almost 30 years ago. If there is a sense that something big is about to happen in the world of batteries, it could have something to do with the high-profile successes that A123Systems has had in the past few years. Located on the outskirts of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company has been working on redesigning the lithium-ion battery to meet the demands of high-torque applications, such as power tools and automobiles.