In response to the rapid diffusion of digital still cameras, Toshiba has established a concept for the next-generation primary battery based on a customer survey a battery, which is totally different from the alkaline battery and has remarkably high output characteristics while maintaining the convenience of a primary battery. The fruit of R&D efforts based on this concept is GigaEnergy, nickel batteries (ZR6).

For GigaEnergy, in order to achieve performance far higher than that attainable with conventional alkaline batteries, while maintaining compatibility with alkaline batteries (LR6), Toshiba focused on nickel oxyhydroxide, which is used for the cathode of rechargeable batteries. Toshiba developed a nickel oxyhydroxide material that has excellent layer-structure crystallinity, and also successfully developed technologies for high-density filling and for reforming the particle surface of this material.

When this battery is used for a digital still camera, battery life five times longer than that of a conventional alkaline battery is achieved, thus contributing to reduction of waste generation.