Though wireless charger seems a modern and easy way of charging a device, it isn’t as convenient as it sounds as they are confined to contact-based charging. You can not move around and use your device while charging in the traditional wireless charging method.
To make the wireless charging more convenient, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved a certification for a revolutionary wire-free, power-at-a-distance charging technology named as WattUp, developed by Energous Corporation. The WattUp Mid Field transmitter can deliver power to WattUp-enabled electronic devices at a distance up to three feet via radio frequency (RF).
Earlier in September, a Silicon Valley start-up company also claimed to have created world’s first contactless wireless charging technology known as Pi Charger, a device which can charge multiple devices, up to a distance of 1 feet.
Not only contact-less, this technology can do contact based wireless charging as well for fast charging of devices with large batteries. Also, multiple devices can be charged at once and nearly any small device can be charged with this power-at-a-distance wireless charging transmitter including smartphones, tablets, fitness trackers, smart watches, earbuds, wireless keyboards and mice, smart speakers and more.
One more interesting feature of this technology is that it can automatically provide charging to the devices running out of battery. Similar to Wifi, the users can use the interoperability feature and use WattUp enabled devices which means that the WattUp devices are compatible with other transmitters regardless of their manufacturers.
Not only Mid Field transmitters, the San Jose-based startup is also developing Far Field transmitters and low-power Near-field transmitters to cover farther distances and to integrate them into the bezel of computer monitors, soundbars, smart speakers, TVs, smart lighting, and other electronics in the home, office and beyond respectively.
Although there isn’t any final product available on the market yet the company will demonstrate the power-at-a-distance WattUp technology at CES 2018, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, January 9-12 in Las Vegas, NV.