I-Corps: Translation Potential of a Remote Monitor and Alert System for Early Detection of Battery Failure

Award ID: 2629077

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a low-cost early-warning safety device that detects dangerous lithium-ion battery failures before they occur. Lithium-ion battery fires from electric bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices have become a serious and rapidly growing public-safety problem, causing injuries, deaths, displaced families, and hundreds of millions of dollars in property loss, with hundreds of fire incidents now reported each year in major urban areas alone. This technology attaches to the outside of existing battery packs and continuously watches for the subtle electrical and thermal warning signs that precede a fire, giving riders, operators, and bystanders critical time to act. It may be used on batteries already in use and does not require the battery to be replaced, which may provide a safety layer for the significant installed base of batteries. Potential users of the technology include delivery and rideshare fleets, battery and device manufacturers, property owners, and municipal safety agencies. This technology may make everyday battery use safer, while protecting workers, residents, and communities. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of a physics-informed diagnostic system for the early detection of lithium-ion battery failure. This technology pairs an externally attachable sensing method with an equation-based algorithm that monitors the non-linear voltage and thermal signatures associated with internal short-circuit formation and other early-stage electrochemical instabilities. Unlike conventional battery management systems, which rely on embedded sensors and fixed thresholds to flag late-stage faults such as overtemperature or overvoltage, this approach identifies precursors to thermal runaway. In addition, it is battery-agnostic, externally mounted, and able to operate without network connectivity. Early validation research with lithium-ion failure mechanisms has produced a functional laboratory prototype that detects characteristic deviations in voltage and thermal behavior in advance of catastrophic failure. Users may benefit from earlier, more reliable warnings across the large population of batteries that lack advanced embedded monitoring, improving safety without costly battery replacement. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman