Power Over Wireless

[justlukeyou]

Hi Im new here,

Im just wondering if anyone as heard of 'Power Over Wireless' the transfer of electricity to things such as cell phones without a cable. It works similar to the electric toothbrush!!!

Anyone heard of it??

[Fruss Tray Ted]

So what kind of magical powers does your toothbrush have? They both use batteries, batteries need to be recharged and there ain't no manna from Heaven for portable devices... :rolleyes:

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

Solar powered, maybe ;)

[mjc]

You talking about this (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061115-8229.html)?

Other than it is still experimental and probably has enough FCC stumbling blocks to keep it that way for a very long time...nope, haven't heard anything.

[justlukeyou]

I've heard of a few companies developing products and they should be on the market at the end of this year.

[mjc]

I'd really like to see something concrete about that...seen hints of 'vaporware', but not much more.

I suppose you could have a product that uses radio waves to charge a battery...is that really 'Power over Wireless' or just a variation of a solar battery charger?

[justlukeyou]

I think its conductive, I know MIT university have developed a coil which power laptops. But it needs to be commercialised for it to really work.

[Variable]

Think he means this.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/technology/bal-bz.pl.ecoupled25jan25,0,57701.story?coll=bal-technology-headlines

[justlukeyou]

Yep, thats the ones, Im not sure how MIT's prototype works, whether than runs via the USB.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Ahh, sorry I misunderstood what you meant. I thought it was about long distances and not just proximity within a household or vehicle for example. IMO:

So yes, power over wireless is possible. It's been around in other forms for a l-o-n-g time. It's called 'inductance' (motors, fans, even lights). Where a device only needs to be near something to pick up on the fluctuating signal which would build voltage in it's own self, thusly producing power within that device allowing it to recharge it's own internal batteries (if needed) while appearing to be getting something for nothing. But that's not so. Of old, on the sending device, the power is dissipated whether or not there was anything to utilize the signal. Note I say utilize instead of absorb or similar. Because this is not actually a transfer of energy but it is a triggering of the energy producing capabilities of the device itself. Such as the sorta new flashlights you shake to make a charge to produce potential for powering the bulbs. Imagine something moving the magnet back and forth by outside electromagnetic impulses making it seem to be receiving power from the outside, wirelessly. Now imagine that with no moving parts. ;)

With newer technology, this gets more efficient with sensing abilities that 'know' when a device is nearby and needs charging etc... The reference to usb in link above would house the 'generator' needed to power or charge the devices.

[codegamer]

okay, now that there is *basically* wireless power coming out, in how many bad ways does this affect humans?

[Whyzman]

Well, I know if I'm standing next to someone who'e really putting out a lot of negative vibes...I certainly have to throw a switch not to be affected by it! :)

[mjc]

Well, basically it is using radio waves...so I'd imagine about the same as any other radio based device.

[johnny_quest]

tesla had some neat inventions/patents/ideas on that subject, google him

[saphalline]

Tesla pioneered all this stuff back in the late 1800's. You guys should read up on him - great stuff. Quite possibly the most intelligent inventor ever. For instance, he invented alternating current. Something we take for granted today as a worldwide standard, but he actually invented it. He also invented the brush-less motor (the "Holy Grail" of electrical engineering at the time) along with dozens of ways to convert AC to DC and DC to AC.

By the time Tesla was in his 30's, he grew tired of the inefficiencies and limitations of wire-bound electricity. He envisioned a worldwide network of energy floating up in the atmosphere from which anyone could tap on the ground. The infamous "tower" alluded to in mjc's first link was supposed to be based on this idea. And so much more... It's not true that Tesla ran out of funding on the project - it simply was too powerful and dangerous. The US Military took possession of the tower after a lawsuit was brought against him on grounds that Tesla did not have the proper legalities ironed out for such a high power project. Loaded down with fines and permit fees, Tesla relinquished the tower to the military. The tower itself, though... now that was an interesting story...

Tesla was also responsible for making several mathematical achievements in the areas of field dynamics. And if the rumours are to be believed, much of his work in that area ended up in the hands of Einstein. Working out even more of the possibilities and implications himself, Einstein was said to have burned hundreds of documents on the subject during his last week alive. Did the two of them finally crack the Unified Field Theorem? If so, it would explain much of the dark mysteries of both their lives. Ever aware of the humanities side of science, both men would have rather destroyed knowledge than humanity itself. In our current state, humans are not ready for such things...

Interesting stuff if anyone would like to do more research. You'll find that all the stories in this thread are actually old news, dating back before 1950. It's all been done before, but who's doing it now?

[justlukeyou]

Security cameras which are powered wirelessly are also being developed so it could be rolled out across all sorts of technologies.

[justlukeyou]

In relation to Tesla I have been forwarded a cool link to a documentary about Tesla if anyone wants to watch it.



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5834867580747017149&q=tesla

[saphalline]

Yep, I've seen that one. I've collected quite a lot of Tesla books and movies and articles over the years. Good stuff, all of it. Although I must admit that much of the stuff labeled "lost secrets" and whatnot is a bit on the conspiracy theory side. Take it with a grain of salt. You can usually tell what's hot and what's not by examining the scientific concepts. For some close-at-hand articles on Tesla, I suggest doing a Google search for Mark Twain's comments on his dear friend, Mr Tesla.

[yawningdog]

Sounds like a load of crap.

The problem with microwave power transmission is that all the usable power is lost within a couple of feet, and even when in a close proximity it's terribly inefficient. Having some type of parabolic directional transmitter helps, but it's very application-specific and doesn't translate easily to the home-user.

Think I'm wrong? Think I'm a full-of-crap naysayer? Buy some stock and post when you've made your first million on this technology. Lots of companies have already taken a run at this. The cost has always outweighed the benefit.

[Whyzman]

Lots of companies have already taken a run at this. The cost has always outweighed the benefit.YD, that's what government grants/funding is there for... :p

[justlukeyou]

I think there will be a big step to power without any form of contact but the first wireless pads should be on the market towards the end of this year.

[mjc]

but the first wireless pads should be on the market towards the end of this year.

Until I see them on the shelves, they are still just vaporware...

[justlukeyou]

Ive heard of a few companies but many of the developers may well look to licence there technology to the big boys - Sony, Samsung etc.

I've heard of one (splashpower) which has the Former head of Sony Europe on there board of directors.

[mjc]

Ive heard of a few companies...

I've heard of one...

That kind of 'word of mouth'/grapevine stuff without an actual product on sale has all the earmarks of vaporware (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware)...

[justlukeyou]

Wish I had the million of dollars necessary to bring a Power Over Wireless product to market lol

I jist its a great technology which could be used across all sorts of applications.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Yeah, if they could just 'get over it'

And make it more efficient than a 1:100 return,,,

As I mentioned in my post on stuff from the 70's, if not older, proximity is paramount. As the distance increases, the more loss of efficiency.

Exponentially! :eek:

For an entrepreneur, recharge pads or other devices, placed at internet coffee shops or airport terminals would be a tough sell when the person's device doesn't let the base know who's device benefited from the service.

They said in the seventies, it's a few years off from becoming reality. Replace 'years' with 'practicality'... ;)

[saphalline]

Tesla made it work just fine! Except for the problem of the waves being potentially dangerous to all living creatures. :p No gov't approval there! Haha!

[Paul Komski]

Wireless electricity (electron transfer) equals lightning; so its probably always safest to move electrons around in wires or other safe non-gaseous conductors.

All wireless methods for transferring energy from place to place (particularly in a domestic environment) whether due to the transfer of electrons or particles or waves will have the potential to harm individuals or the environment if those energy transfers involve significant amounts of power.

The problem to be solved (and megabucks made) is to control (in some form of conduit) such energy transfers without the use of wires - and that doesn't seem to be on the cards (not yet anyways). Once the energy is transfered it can be transformed into local electricity as required.

The "intelligent hot spot" DC-charging area is a very good concept in reducing the amount of wires in a desktop environment and in being economical on the perennial wastage of power by having transformers "always on" but it has nothing to do with wireless electricity.

[justlukeyou]

In terms of development I think the real evolution comes in the of 'packet' energy transfer. According to the Baltimore Sun article 180m units will be on the market by 2010.

[justlukeyou]

Ive heard that many of the developers will license there technology to the bigger manufacters such as Sony and Samsung and they have plans to market the technology over the next 2 years.

[justlukeyou]

These 2 sites look useful:

http://www.poweroverwireless.com
http://www.poweroverethernet.com

[Fruss Tray Ted]

All devices fitted with a SplashModule power receiver are ready to receive wireless power from the SplashPad. This thin receiver module is customized to the shape, size and power requirements of the device and can be easily integrated into the host device or add-on accessories.
Just like I said, it will be like an inductive transformer producing power from the magnetic signal emitting from the pad the device sits on.

Sounds VERY inefficient to me. Convenience over efficiency. Like a tv dinner over a home cooked meal... ;)

[justlukeyou]

According to an article on the BBC site Wireless Energy is beginning to take off.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6725955.stm

It also has a name WiTricity, pretty cool concept when they make it safe