Protecting the health of the UK armed forces is crucial and The Defence Medical Services (DMS) 'has an annual budget of circa £500m'. There are many different types of battery powered technology that can assist military personnel in a medical capacity – on, above and outside the battlefield. All of these have different power requirements and getting the power right is essential when a soldier’s livelihood, during or after service, relies on it.
To ensure wearables are powered by a non-detectable, durable source; they often incorporate a soldier-worn battery like the UBBL35. In developing the UBBL35, Ultralife performed extensive tests to guarantee its ruggedness, including a drop test from 26ft, a crush test using 12,000lbs of weight and a ballistics test of five bullets in eight minutes. After all of these tests were completed, the battery still had power capacity, providing the reassurance that it was battlefield ready.
However, it is not just wearable devices on the ground that require a reliable, military standard battery. Military Medtech is taking to new heights with the use of drones. In 2022, the U.S. Army trialled the use of drones to deliver blood to treat wounded troops. A design brief from 2018 stated that ‘reliability and robustness to failure and interference’ (and more) is essential, which would extend to all components, including the battery.
In addition to criteria stipulated for warfare, OEMs need to ensure the battery allows the drone to operate efficiently in the air (i.e. that it is lightweight to aid the UAV's airborne performance and has sufficient capacity to last for the duration of the flight). Choosing a custom battery solution is the ideal way to ensure that both the needs of the drone and the military are met. Both Accutronics Ltd and our parent company Ultralife Corporation have many years of experience in designing and manufacturing batteries for military prime contractors, sub-contractors and OEMs, qualifying them to the latest specifications.
Back at home, away from conflict, you may think there is less requirement for durable batteries; yet new technology is emerging that could need to withstand a human’s body weight. For ex-servicemen and women who require a lower limb prosthetic; Adapttech have launched a patient monitoring device (called Motio StepWatch), which uses battery power to gather data during the first week a prosthetic is worn (such as top cadence, distance covered, and maximum speed). This data is then relayed to the clinician to ensure they have prescribed the right prosthetic and help them understand the functional potential of the patient. However, should the amputee fall whilst wearing the device, the battery could be compressed. Custom batteries can undergo a pressure test, as well as others that simulate potential scenarios that the battery could be faced with, ensuring they are fit-for-purpose.
Whether on, above or outside the battlefield; the batteries that power medical equipment need to be robust and reliable. Accutronics distribute, across the UK and Europe, the UBBL35 and more off-the-shelf products (manufactured by our parent company Ultralife) that are pre-certified to military specifications but can also offer custom solutions that are tested to ensure they meet the specific requirements of the application.