Exploding batteries have been the bane of manufacturers in recent years. Everyone from Sony to Nokia has had a nightmare with publicity when its happened to their products. Its usually because of usage of cheap, duplicate batteries. But occasionally there have been faults with the original ones too. NTT DoCoMo claims to have found the answer to users woes with their intelligent battery pack.

The battery pack developed together with Mitsumi Electric Co Ltd can detect troubles within the Li-ION battery and relay it to the user. The 8-bit microcomputer embedded onto the pack is responsible for monitoring the battery condition. Based on the battery's current, voltage, temperature and other indicators; its state of deterioration, remaining battery level, and problems with the battery unit could be projected on screen.

The pack can notify the users when it's time to recharge, when the battery needs repairs, or even when it's time to replace it altogether. NTT DoCoMo says that it will use the new intelligent battery packs on its new phone models to come out next year. And since Japan usually leads the way in technology, we can be assured that if the system is as useful as claimed we shall be seeing something similar in the next couple of years too.

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