Smart battery technology started appearing on the market in the mid-1990s, mostly in high-end electronic products such as laptop computers and camcorders. Sensors send temperature, current output, and battery voltage data to microprocessors, which prevent improper charging. These features are helpful to users who do not care to take the time to regularly monitor their batteries; for those who do, they offer a way to eliminate the guesswork from recharging. It also reduces anxiety for the user and lessens the need for emergency backup batteries. For those relying on off-grid solar or wind energy systems, smart battery technology also provides critical monitoring for the times when the owner of the equipment is away from the site.

Smart batteries have been aided by tremendous advances in smart electronic circuitry. Found in everything from laptops to pacemakers, this circuitry has improved the operating time of...