Intel Corp has recently demonstrated a prototype which recharged an iPod speaker using wireless method. The iPod speaker was attached to a 3o-cm diameter copper coil and was recharged through another coil double the diameter located at 1-meter distance from the iPod speaker. The Intel project is similar to that of earlier project demonstrated by MIT Researchers. Both the projects uses magnetic fields to transfer energy which is non-radiative and is confined to a distance of less than 2 meters. After MIT scientist demonstration of wireless electricity project in 2007, number of companies and researchers have started working on this areas.
The technique is based on resonant coupling, which means the objects can exchanges energy when they are tuned at same frequency. In the case of Intel project, large coil was hooked up to electronics which generated currents oscillating energy at 7 mhz. The receiving coil was also tuned at the same frequency and the energy was transferred at 80% efficiency. The picture displays coil and the iPod speaker attached to it. Josh smith is the lead researcher on this project at Intel. MIT Scientists,who first pioneered the concept have started a company named as WiTricity . According them there are number of technical challenges (one of them is shrinking the coil into a miniature device) before such concept become reality and other companies need to do lot of catch up and there may be Intellectual property issues. WiTricity has applied for patent in 2007.
More details available at : TechReview
Conceptual illustration of the wireless electricity by WiTricity (Source WiTricity Corporation).
Videos :
CES 2009 -- Wireless electricity
The technique is based on resonant coupling, which means the objects can exchanges energy when they are tuned at same frequency. In the case of Intel project, large coil was hooked up to electronics which generated currents oscillating energy at 7 mhz. The receiving coil was also tuned at the same frequency and the energy was transferred at 80% efficiency. The picture displays coil and the iPod speaker attached to it. Josh smith is the lead researcher on this project at Intel. MIT Scientists,who first pioneered the concept have started a company named as WiTricity . According them there are number of technical challenges (one of them is shrinking the coil into a miniature device) before such concept become reality and other companies need to do lot of catch up and there may be Intellectual property issues. WiTricity has applied for patent in 2007.More details available at : TechReview
Conceptual illustration of the wireless electricity by WiTricity (Source WiTricity Corporation).
Videos :
CES 2009 -- Wireless electricity
