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Ensuring Battery Safety: The Need for Reliable Authentication
The increasing incidents of fires and accidents linked to the use of counterfeit lithium-ion batteries—specifically, those not produced by original equipment manufacturers—have raised significant safety concerns. Distinguishing these compatible batteries from genuine products can be quite challenging as they often have similar outward appearances.
Groundbreaking Advances in Battery Identification Technology
A team from the University of Tsukuba has pioneered an innovative nondestructive approach to verify the authenticity of lithium-ion batteries by using magnetic sensors fitted onto their casings. This technique measures the magnetic fields produced when current flows through these batteries during charging and discharging cycles.
The findings are detailed in an article published in Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation.
The Importance of Distinguishing Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) serve critical functions in devices such as smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles, making them vital to everyday technology use. However, as their dimensions have become increasingly standardized across various manufacturers, distinguishing OEM products from counterfeit versions solely based on appearance has grown increasingly difficult.
Although proactive measures such as seals, certification logos, QR codes, and embedded IC chips attempt to mark genuine OEM products clearly, many of these identifiers can be easily replicated by counterfeiters. Consequently, there is a pressing need for identification techniques focused on internal structures and electrical properties instead.
A Novel Approach Built on Previous Research
This is not the first time that researchers at University of Tsukuba have ventured into battery diagnostics; they previously developed a method utilizing magnetic sensors to detect failures in fuel cells. For this recent study, they adapted this prior methodology specifically toward recognizing LIBs through variations in current paths associated with differing internal configurations among various battery types.
A Simple Yet Effective Identification Mechanism
The methodology involves simply placing a magnetic sensor externally on an LIB to detect changes in its magnetic field reflective of operational currents during usage cycles—effectively distinguishing between individual cells or multiple linked units seamlessly.
Future Developments: Charting New Territory
The research team intends to expand their studies further by working on systems capable of identifying batteries within entire modules while also addressing challenges posed by aging components or structurally identical designs.
Further Reading: Aira Eto et al., “Assessment of Lithium-Ion Batteries with Varied Designs via Magnetic Field Measurement for Onboard Battery Verification,” Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.geits.2025.100257