Tiny Laptop Power Adaptors from FINsix
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In the US alone, more than 30% of energy flows through power electronics. Billions of sometimes bulky and cumbersome power converters throughout the world make this possible. While all electronic devices shrink due to the advances in technology, the laptop power adaptor has not. Every business person who lugs around a laptop during the majority of their waking hours knows the pain of stuffing a laptop power adaptor awkwardly into the briefcase in a way that never really seems to fit properly. One company looking to solve this problem of oversized and antiquated laptop power adaptors is FINsix.
About FINsix
Menlo Park California-based FINsix was founded in 2010 as a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The founding team secured their first round of venture investment in early 2011 and according to Crunchbase has raised over $5 million so far. The company has 20 issued and pending patents.
The Product
The company’s product is the 65W Finsix Laptop Power Adapter. It is 25 percent the size and one-sixth the weight of competitive adapters including those by Dell, HP, and Apple. It weighs a mere 1.59 ounces. With 50% fewer components, it is claimed to be 3X as reliable as competitive adaptors. Additionally, the FINsix adapter has an auxiliary USB port, eliminating the need to carry chargers for other devices such as smartphones and tablets. While the FINsix 65W compact charger is compliant with most major laptop brands including Apple, they have yet to get Apple’s approval.
Reliability is increased due to the elimination of heavy components, like magnetic core transformers which enable superior resistance to mechanical shock and vibration. Furthermore, the overall reduction in component count means fewer points of failure. FINsix converters are 1,000x faster than today’s technology which enables unexpected applications, like best-in-class dimming and compatibility for LED lamps. In a recent article, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at FINsix, Dr. Anthony Sagneri, presents some of the technical details behind how this achievement was realized.
Conclusion
The FINsix adaptor will be sold with multiple DC connectors, or “tips” for each adapter to ensure compatibility with a broad range of laptops. This could allow a single adaptor to be used with multiple device types. Production of the 65W Finsix Adapter will begin in mid-2014 with units available for presale in March 2014. The adapter will be sold directly on the FINsix website and will also be available through a variety of retailers and e-tailers. According to this article last week on Digital Trends, the adaptor will go to retail this summer with an anticipated price of $90. FINsix is one company to watch and received much publicity recently by winning 6 different awards at CES this year for their innovative adaptor, It remains to be seen what other potential applications of their core technology they might look to commercialize in the future.
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