Consistent battery care helps clinics identify damage early, guide patients through correct charging, and know when an issue requires manufacturer support. Maintenance for the Aether Battery System should follow the current Instructions for Use, with fitting, battery removal, and replacement reserved for qualified personnel.
The Aether Battery System provides electrical power to an upper-limb prosthesis: 7.2V DC nominal, rising to 8.4V DC at full charge, with up to 10A peak and 5A continuous output, and a nominal capacity of 2800mAh. It is intended for use on one patient only, and per the current Instructions for Use, it's built exclusively for use with Zeus hands.
This guide turns the manufacturer's Instructions for Use (version 8, current as of this writing) into a practical clinic workflow. It supports routine maintenance but does not replace the IFU, whose figures can change between revisions, so always confirm the current version before relying on a specific number.
Routine care should cover the complete installed power system. The components that require attention include:
During maintenance, check the battery pack, wiring, connectors, charging port, cable, and power adapter as a connected system. This wider view matters because an apparent battery problem may begin with damaged charging equipment, a broken wire, or an incorrectly aligned connector.
The Aether Battery System may be fitted by qualified personnel only, and its documented maintenance instructions are written for qualified personnel. Battery pack removal and replacement must also be handled by a qualified person.
Patients and unqualified staff should not remove the battery pack or attempt to repair cables, battery cells, connectors, or other system components. If inspection reveals a malfunction or damage that the documented maintenance process does not address, the clinic should stop at that point and contact Aether Biomedical support.
The current IFU recommends a visual inspection of each battery and all wiring every few months. At each inspection, check for broken, damaged, pinched, bent, or stressed wires, and confirm that the connectors are intact, properly oriented, and aligned without being forced.
Inspect the charging port for visible damage or material on its outer surface. Also confirm that the battery pack is not under mechanical stress and does not have direct contact with the patient's skin.
As a clinic practice, record the inspection date, the condition observed, and any action taken. This documentation is not a manufacturer requirement, but it helps the clinic track changes, service life, repeated faults, and follow-up needs for each device it supports.
Charging uses the charging port's USB-C connector, the supplied USB-A to USB-C cable, and the supplied power adapter. Charging must take place while the prosthesis and prosthetic socket are disconnected from the patient.
The adapter must match the electrical outlet standard in the country of use. Normal charging uses the manufacturer-provided adapter and USB cable. In exceptional situations, charging from a portable power bank is permitted, provided it is not connected to an electrical outlet while the system is charging.
The battery accepts up to 1.2A of charging current, with a full charge from empty taking up to 5 hours. The system does not supply power to the prosthesis while charging, so a loss of prosthetic function during that time is expected rather than evidence of a fault.
Clinics should not substitute unapproved cables, adapters, or charging equipment.
The charging port has four LEDs that show battery status. Press and hold the button for about 1.5 seconds to turn the battery on or off. A quick press displays the current level in one of four bands: under 25%, 25 to 50%, 51 to 75%, or 76 to 100%.
Blue LEDs indicate charging in progress. Three quick blinks mean the battery is off, and a steady glow for about three seconds confirms it is on. When the battery is critically low, the last LED blinks quickly six times. On reaching a full charge, all LEDs blink twice and turn off.
Clinics should teach patients to recognize each of these signals. If the LEDs behave differently from the patterns above, check the current IFU before concluding that the battery has failed.
Yes. Clean only the outer surface of the charging port with a dry, soft cloth. Do not apply water directly to the surface or use any chemical cleaning substances; the IFU specifically warns against letting water flow into the USB-C socket.
Inspect the port before cleaning and keep the process within the documented method. A dry, soft cloth protects the electronic components without introducing moisture or residue.
Do not insert tools or cleaning materials into the port; if you find damage, moisture, or material that cannot be removed safely with a dry, soft cloth, stop and refer the issue to support.
These instructions apply specifically to the outer surface of the charging port. Do not extend the same cleaning method to other components unless documented guidance supports it.
Store the system in a cool, dry place, within the environmental limits documented in the IFU: 0°C to +50°C (32°F to 120°F), 15% to 93% humidity, and 700 hPa to 1060 hPa atmospheric pressure.
Unused batteries lose charge gradually through normal self-discharge. Recharge unused batteries every 6 months, per the IFU, and add the next recharge date to the clinic's storage record so it isn't missed.
Protect stored batteries from water, fire, mechanical stress, direct sunlight, and other extreme temperatures. Position them where they will not be bent, crushed, or held under continued pressure, and keep each stored battery assigned to its intended patient.
Do not bend the battery pack. Continued force can damage the cells and cause unwanted chemical effects, while mechanical stress or bent cables can damage other parts of the system.
Protect the charging port from water; the IFU specifically warns against letting water flow into the USB-C socket. Do not submerge the system in any fluid, and confirm that the complete system is dry before use.
Keep the components away from fire and outside the documented operating range of 0°C to +50°C (32°F to 120°F). Exposure outside that range can shorten service life or damage the battery pack. Keep portable radio-frequency transmitters at least 30 cm (12 inches) from any part of the system, per the IFU.
Stop using the battery if it becomes unusually hot, emits gases, changes color, or appears abnormal while charging or discharging. Do not continue charging, testing, or using it to see whether the condition clears.
Before removing the prosthesis, disconnect the hand and/or charging cable as applicable. A qualified person must remove the battery pack, which should then be stored in a safe place inside a fireproof container while the clinic contacts Aether Biomedical.
A broken charging cable or power adapter should also be reported, along with any damaged cells, cables, connectors, loose components, or other abnormal system components. Clinics and patients must not try to repair these themselves.
Begin with simple, noninvasive checks. Confirm that the battery system is switched on, review the LED charge indication, and verify that the battery was charged with the supplied equipment and documented procedure.
Next, visually inspect the charging cable, power adapter, charging port, wiring, and connectors. Check for signs of wear, ensure connectors remain correctly aligned and have not been forced, and confirm that the battery system and connected prosthetic components are dry.
Note whether the fault occurs during charging, while the system supplies power, or during operation of the prosthetic bionic hand. Also note any reported discomfort, as that may indicate the issue involves the prosthetic device rather than only the battery system.
Stop clinic-level troubleshooting if there is visible damage, unusual heat, gas production, a color change, repeated charging failure, or any other abnormal condition; unresolved malfunctions should be referred to Aether Biomedical.
The IFU documents a service life of up to 2 years or 500 charge/discharge cycles, whichever comes first. Replace the battery if it malfunctions during use or reaches this documented end of service life, and treat the published figure as an expected range rather than a guaranteed minimum.
Only qualified personnel may perform the replacement, and the clinic must not attempt to repair the battery cells, cables, connectors, or other parts of the system.
Recording the installation date, faults, and replacement date supports clinic service planning across the bionic prosthetics that the clinic manages.
Do not discard the Aether Battery System with common household waste. It is WEEE-compliant electronic equipment containing battery components and should go through the applicable electronic-equipment and battery-disposal process.
Record removal and disposal in the clinic's device file, and ensure that only qualified personnel fit any replacement battery.
If a serious incident occurs in relation to the device, follow the incident-reporting instructions in the IFU and contact Aether Biomedical. Disposal and incident reporting are separate steps, and clinics should complete each one when applicable.
Before handoff, show the patient how to check the battery level, using the button to display one of the four charge bands, and how to recognize the charging, full-charge, and critically low signals.
Reinforce that charging must take place while the prosthesis and socket are disconnected from the patient and that the system does not power the prosthesis while it charges.
Remind the patient to keep the system dry, never submerge it, and avoid bending, repairing, or modifying the battery, wires, and connectors.
The patient should report unusual heat, gases, a color change, visible damage, discomfort, or repeated charging problems immediately and understand that battery removal and replacement are tasks for qualified personnel.
Proper maintenance supports safety, function, and quality of life for someone using a bionic hand day-to-day. Finally, confirm that the patient knows whom to contact to talk through any problem that develops, using the IFU as the authority for care and safety instructions.
What's the fastest way to tell if a battery problem is actually a charging-equipment problem?
Charging should use only the provided AET-USBC cable and AET-PWR-USB-xx adapter. If the cable or adapter appears damaged or is not charging the device correctly, do not continue using it; contact Aether Biomedical or your distributor rather than troubleshooting the pack yourself.
Does the Aether Battery System work with any bionic hand, or only Zeus?
Zeus only. It is not intended for use with other prosthetic devices.
What's the battery's capacity and charge time?
It has a nominal capacity of 2800mAh, runs at 7.2V DC nominal (8.4V DC fully charged), and takes up to 5 hours to charge fully from empty, per the current IFU.
Is it normal for the prosthesis to lose power during charging?
Yes. The system doesn't power the prosthesis while it's charging, so that gap is expected rather than a fault sign, provided nothing else looks abnormal.
Can the charging port be wiped down with a disinfectant wipe instead of a dry cloth?
No. The documented method is a dry, soft cloth on the outer surface only. Chemical cleaners and direct water contact aren't part of the approved process.
What's the single biggest handoff mistake clinics make with new patients?
Skipping the "what's abnormal" conversation. Patients who only learn the routine charging steps often don't recognize heat, gas, or a color change as a stop-and-call signal when it actually happens.
Who do we contact if the IFU doesn't cover a situation we're seeing?
Aether Biomedical directly. The documentation is the primary reference, but it isn't a substitute for manufacturer support when a clinic hits something outside the documented process.
For proper maintenance, inspect batteries and wiring every few months as the IFU recommends, use only the supplied charging equipment, and clean the charging port's outer surface with a dry, soft cloth. Recharge unused batteries every 6 months, keep the system within its documented 0°C to +50°C operating range, and protect it from water, fire, bending, and mechanical stress.
Stop using any battery that produces heat or gases, changes color, or appears abnormal, and do not repair system components. Arrange qualified replacement at the 2-year / 500-cycle service life or at malfunction, follow the applicable disposal process, and if your clinic needs current specifications or is facing an issue the IFU doesn't address, contact Aether Biomedical directly.