SPARTACUS · Project

Smart Sensors That Predict Battery Failures Before Performance Drops

energyPrototypeTRL 4

Imagine your phone could tell you its battery is about to degrade — weeks before you notice anything wrong. SPARTACUS built tiny sensors that listen to what's happening inside batteries using sound waves and mechanical pressure, almost like a doctor's stethoscope for battery cells. These sensors feed data to a smarter battery management system that can charge faster without damaging the battery, and catch dangerous overheating before it becomes a safety hazard. The team validated a 24V smart battery module with this built-in sensing technology at lab scale.

By the numbers

20%

Targeted reduction in charging time without negative lifetime effects

24V

Smart battery module assembled and validated

Smart battery cells built in first prototype package (V1)

EUR 3,825,190

Total EU contribution to the project

Consortium partners across 5 European countries

Total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Battery failures are expensive, dangerous, and hard to predict. Current battery management systems only measure voltage and temperature from the outside, missing early signs of internal degradation until performance has already dropped or, worse, a thermal event occurs. Companies building or operating battery systems need a way to see inside the cell — before problems become costly warranty claims, safety incidents, or unplanned downtime.

The solution

What was built

The team built a 24V smart battery module with embedded mechanical and acoustic sensors, plus a cell management system (CMS/BMS) that processes sensor data in real time. Deliverables include at least 3 smart battery cell prototypes (V1 package) and a validated system-level demo with hardware, software, and sensor data integration — totaling 15 deliverables over the project.

Audience

Who needs this

EV battery pack manufacturers needing better degradation predictionGrid-scale energy storage operators facing unexpected cell failuresBattery second-life companies needing reliable cell health gradingFast-charging infrastructure providers wanting to push charging speed safelyBattery management system (BMS) developers looking for next-generation sensing inputs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: EV battery pack integrators and automotive OEMs

If you are an EV battery pack integrator dealing with unpredictable battery degradation and warranty claims — this project developed acoustic and mechanical sensors integrated into battery cells that detect failure mechanisms before performance loss. The system targets a 20% reduction in charging time without negative lifetime effects, which directly impacts fast-charging infrastructure competitiveness.

Stationary Energy Storage

mid-size

Target: Grid-scale battery storage operators and installers

If you are a battery storage operator dealing with unexpected cell failures and costly downtime — this project developed a cell management system that continuously monitors battery state using embedded sensors and electrochemical impedance measurements. The sensor data correlates to degradation models, enabling age-dependent optimal cycling that extends battery life and prevents thermal runaway.

Battery Second-Life & Recycling

SME

Target: Companies repurposing EV batteries for second-life applications

If you are in the battery second-life business struggling to assess remaining capacity of used batteries — this project built sensor-based monitoring that tracks real degradation state throughout a battery's life. The continuous state-of-health data from mechanical and acoustic sensors gives you reliable grading of used cells, reducing the risk and cost of second-life battery assembly.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this sensor system cost to integrate into our battery packs?

The project objective emphasizes developing an 'affordable sensor solution' using mechanical and acoustic sensors, which are inherently low-cost compared to advanced electrochemical methods. Exact per-unit pricing is not published, but the design specifically targets industrial packaging constraints to keep integration costs practical.

Can this scale to production-level battery manufacturing?

The project validated the technology at TRL4 (lab scale) with a 24V smart battery module. The consortium included 2 industrial partners, and one specific objective (OBJ2) focused on sensor integration according to industrial constraints including packaging and assembly technology. Scaling to production lines would require further engineering.

What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?

The project was funded under Horizon 2020 RIA with EUR 3,825,190 across 7 partners led by Fraunhofer. IP is typically shared among consortium members under the grant agreement. Licensing discussions would need to go through the consortium, with Fraunhofer as the coordinating partner.

How does this compare to existing battery management systems?

Standard BMS relies on voltage and current measurements at the terminal level. SPARTACUS adds mechanical sensors, acoustic sensors, and electrochemical impedance measurement directly at the cell level, enabling detection of internal degradation mechanisms that terminal measurements miss entirely.

What safety improvements does this actually deliver?

The sensor system is designed to detect overheating conditions that lead to thermal runaway, fire, or explosion — before they escalate. By monitoring mechanical and acoustic signals inside the cell, the system catches early warning signs that conventional temperature sensors on the outside of cells would miss.

Is this ready for commercial deployment?

Based on available project data, the technology reached TRL4 with a validated 24V smart battery module under lab conditions. The project ended February 2024 and produced 15 deliverables including system-level demos. Commercial deployment would require further development to reach TRL6-7.

Consortium

Who built it

The SPARTACUS consortium brings together 7 partners from 5 countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France), led by Fraunhofer — Germany's largest applied research organization with deep battery expertise. The consortium is research-heavy with 4 research institutes and 1 university, alongside 2 industrial partners (29% industry ratio). While this strong research base ensures solid science, the relatively low industry participation means commercial transfer will require new partnerships with battery manufacturers or automotive OEMs. No SMEs are in the consortium, which is notable — the technology may benefit from SME involvement for faster market entry in niche applications like battery diagnostics or second-life grading.

CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA - RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENTparticipant · CH
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSELparticipant · BE
ARKEMA FRANCE SAparticipant · FR
ELRINGKLINGER AGparticipant · DE
FUNDACION CIDETECparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (DE) — contact through SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the project coordinator

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing SPARTACUS sensor technology or discuss integration into your battery systems? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the research team.

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