OREANDA-NEWS. Panasonic Corporation was recognized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the largest organization of its kind in the world, as one of the companies that has contributed to the creation and development of primary and secondary battery industries in Japan, in the IEEE Milestone titled "Birth and Growth of Primary and Secondary Battery Industries in Japan, 1893."

The IEEE Milestone program was established in 1983 to honor technical achievements that have made historical contributions to humanity and industrial development in the fields of electrical, electronic, information and communication technologies. Milestones are presented at least 25 years after the technical achievement. The aim is to enhance society's understanding and recognition of these outstanding technologies and the engineers that have produced them.

Panasonic's contributions in the fields of dry batteries, lithium primary batteries, and nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries in Japan have been recognized by the IEEE. This is the first time the company has received appraisal under an IEEE Milestone, and marks the 19th time a Japanese achievement has been recognized.

Panasonic began with in-house production of manganese dry batteries in 1931. It then developed and commercialized alkaline dry and lithium primary batteries, taking the lead in primary battery market.

In 1954, Panasonic succeeded in developing Japan's first manganese dry battery with a fully metal-jacket, which contributed to the improvement of safety and usability. In addition to flashlights, the main application for this battery, Panasonic developed other products in which these batteries could be used, such as gas lighters, battery-powered clocks, and bathtub buzzers. This helped to increase demand.

In 1971, Panasonic was the first in the industry to develop lithium primary batteries. This enabled communication equipment to operate longer, along with the development of calculators and digital watches that were more compact and streamlined.

In 1958, Panasonic started full-scale production of Ni-Cd secondary batteries. This helped to create and expand the market for cordless equipment such as shavers, camcorders, and power tools.

These batteries have undergone continual technology advancement to the present day, and are used in a wide variety of applications from household devices to industrial equipment. Panasonic will keep contributing to society and industry by improving the convenience and performance for battery products, which are indispensable in mobile devices.