Alta Develops Solar Charger for Soldiers, Cuts About 25 lb From Pack Weight

"We have come to rely on mobile machines and devices that always need a source of power whether it be the grid, batteries, or fuel," said Chris Norris, president and CEO of Alta Devices. "But in the next decade, we will come to expect mobile power that is transparently available at all times."The enterprising solar startup Alta, with some help from the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), just launched a reference design that allows soldiers to drastically slash their pack weight.  Whether it's night vision goggles or a laptop computer, soldiers on average carry around 35-lb of batteries, or roughly a third of their 100-lb pack weight.
The new charger design cuts the battery load by 70 percent, slashing around 25-lb from the pack.Alta is also working the ARL and other U.S. Military partners to add the company's proprietary flexible, thin-film solar panels to unmanned aerial vehicles, allowing them to stay aloft for months, or even years.Comments Mr. Norris, "There are nearly limitless opportunities for always-available mobile power.  We are initially targeting applications where the need is well understood and the opportunity is substantial. Over time, we see huge markets being enabled by this kind of mobile power."Alta's homepage states that the company is aggressively targeting the consumer and automotive markets with civilian devices.  The company's claims its panels carry "world-record cell (28.8%) and module (24.1%) efficiencies".  Founded by two top California-area professors in 2008, the company is already turning heads in the defense sphere, but hopes to translate that into commercial success in the civilian market in years to come.
Pain medication This is not a gadget, but it's a must-have for traveling. Headaches tend to strike at the least convenient time possible, and purchasing a Tylenol or Advil from the store in a hotel lobby is often quite expensive. You should have a travel container or your pain medication of choice available.Coffee This is also not technical, but vitally important for coffee drinkers. In case there isn't a Starbucks available, and the mediocre coffee from the miniature pot on the bathroom counter in the hotel isn't cutting it, you should carry around a stash of Starbucks Via packets. I have an assortment in my laptop bag, including coffee, iced coffee, and the Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher drink.Business cards The concept is a little "yesterday", but people do still exchange business cards. Sure, it seems simpler and more efficient to just add contact info to your smartphone or tablet since you're going to have to do that anyway with the information from the business card, but you've got the cards so you may as well use them.