A Southborough manufacturer of portable power solutions for military gear has been approved to begin full-scale production of a power management device for soldiers.
Protonex, a Southborough subsidiary of Vancouver-based Ballard Power Systems, manufactured wearable batteries and man-worn power and data distribution devices the company said makes soldiers more mobile and resourceful while on the battlefield.Â
In a press release, the company called the Squad Power Manager Kit a versatile power management device enabling military forces to prioritize power use for various electronics, including radios, GPS systems, medical equipment and computers.
The device, which weighs less than a pound, can scavenge power from vehicles, other batteries, solar panels and other energy sources to allow soldiers to recharge when on the battlefield.Â
The Department of Defense has already deployed more than 5,500 devices through the limited production phase of the program, the company said.
