Aurora Awarded Contract for Integrated Energy Scavenging and Storage System

MANASSAS, VA, Apr 06 (MARKET WIRE) --
Aurora Flight Sciences announced today that it has been selected for an
award through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) to develop an integrated energy
scavenging and storage system for portable electronics, unmanned
vehicles, and weapons systems. The majority of wireless devices are
powered by batteries, which must be replaced or recharged when depleted;
this is a major limitation for remotely located systems. Solar energy
scavenging is widely used for recharging, but alternative technologies
are required to provide night time scavenging capability to extend system
lifetime and utility. Aurora's concept will target infrared (IR), or
thermal radiation, as a nocturnal energy source.

Aurora's effort will develop and evaluate an integrated system that
includes both solar cells for day time use and infrared photovoltaic
cells for night time use, as well as integrating these energy sources
with thin-film lithium batteries. "Thin-film micro-batteries have
remarkable performance and life compared to everyday batteries," said Dr.
Philip Johnson, the program's principal investigator. "When embedded with
ambient energy scavenging devices we have the prospect of batteries that
will remain perpetually charged." A key attribute will be the development
of the energy sources and batteries not just as individual technologies,
but integrating them into a reliable night/day power system, including
innovative ways to package the system into existing vehicle or weapons
systems structures. Aurora believes that this integrated scavenging and
storage system technology may provide extended lifetime and utility to
other systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in the future.

About Aurora Flight Sciences

Aurora Flight Sciences designs and builds robotic aircraft and other
advanced aerospace vehicles for scientific and military applications.
Aurora is headquartered in Manassas, VA and operates production plants in
Bridgeport, WV and Columbus, MS and a Research and Development Center in
Cambridge, MA. To view recent press releases and more about Aurora please
visit our web site at www.aurora.aero.

Contact:
Patricia Woodside
Director, Public Relations
(703) 396-6304
Email Contact

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

-0-