A dilithium incubator modified to charge a time crystal
The dilithium incubator was a device that could recrystallize dilithium, which would free interstellar societies from having to seek new sources of dilithium for their warp drive. It was invented by Me Hani Ika Hali Ka Po, who at the time was the princess of Xahea. Her discovery made Xahea the most politically relevant planet in the galaxy, but also made the Xaheans greedy and corrupt. (ST: "Runaway")
After Po became queen in 2257, she continued to keep the secret to dilithium recrystallization to herself, as she did not trust others with the information. Later that year, the crew of USS Discovery, guided by a red burst, approached her for help in charging a time crystal. Po developed a way to modify her dilithium incubator to trigger an ongoing cascade of energy within the crystal by combining it with dark energy, which replicated the power of a supernova. The crew successfully powered the incubator using the spore drive, although Commander Jett Reno was forced to expose herself to the effects of the crystal in order to speed up the process. However, charging the crystal this way would eventually cause it to burn out. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow")