We’d all love to become less dependent on our phone chargers, but current wireless charging
options just aren’t there yet.
So, what if we could charge our phones..with WIFI?!
Wireless charging devices on the market now use something called electromagnetic induction.
First, a coiled wire in a charging pad turns an electric current into a magnetic field.
Then that field is received by another coiled wire in your device that turns it back into
electricity and charges the battery.
But, most of the inductive charging devices we have today require direct or very close
contact between the device being charged and the source of the magnetic field.
Which doesn’t do much to resolve that feeling of being tethered to an outlet.
And while some researchers are looking for ways to extend the distance of magnetic induction,
others are instead looking at how radiofrequency signals (like wifi) could be used to do the
same thing.
To clarify- this isn’t new- researchers have been working on it for a while now.
And charging via radiofrequency (or RF) signals actually works pretty similarly to magnetic
induction.
First, a transmitter (think: your wifi router) sends out an RF signal.
Then, a specially designed rectifying antenna (or rectenna) in your device picks up that
signal, and converts it into an electric current.This is a super promising technology- but there
are some drawbacks that have made developing it challenging.
The first being charge.
Current WIFI routers don’t emit that much power, and so would be limited to charging
low power devices like sensors or fitness trackers.
And that would be awesome for applications like the internet of things.
Which is, hold on on sec,I’ve got unlimited data with Visible, so let me get a definition
for you.
Which is “the networking capability that allows information to be sent to and received
from everyday objects and devices using the Internet"
But, making RF charging work for things like our phones will likely involve setting up
a new type of RF transmitter, as well as installing rectennas in any device we want to charge.
That also presents a bit of a chicken or the egg dilemma.
Do you install the rectennas first, or the transmitters first?
Then there’s the issue of distance.
The farther away from the transmitter you get, the less power you’ll be able to pick
up.
Finally, all of these systems need to get agencies like the FCC to say they’re safe
before they can be sold to consumers.
And that can take a lot of time.
But despite all of these challenges, we’re seeing a lot of progress.
One company called Ossia has developed an RF receiver and transmitter duo called Cota.
The receiver in—let’s say your phone—first sends beacon signals in various directions
around the location you're in.
The transmitter picks up these signals and then responds by sending concentrated RF waves
along the same path—thus charging your phone.
This helps provide more energy to the device than other systems, since you have a focused
RF signal instead of casting the power over a large area.
Ossia also debuted a new phone case and transmitter combination at CES this year, that allows
for continuous phone charging at up to 12 ft.
But it’s just a proof of concept.
Another promising design is from a company called Energous.
Their technology called WattUp can charge small devices with RF energy at a distance
of 3 ft - AND it’s already gotten FCC approval!!!!!
And they also have a newer version in the works that claims to charge more devices at
a new distance of 15ft!
Even more, a new study from MIT has found a way to make rectennas flexible, and do it
with cheaper materials.
Which could mean wearables powered by WiFi?
All in all, it doesn’t seem like we’re that far off from real wireless charging at
a distance, and ditching those phone chargers once and for all.
So what do you guys think- would you buy one?
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Don’t forget to subscribe for all your energy science needs, and for more on the future
of wireless charging, check out this video.
One last thing- we only had time to talk about induction and RF charging-- but some researchers
are also working on wireless charging with infrared light.
Man, the future is gonna be awesome.
As always thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time on Seeker.