Powering portable electronic gadgets with electromagnetic waves

Powering portable electronic gadgets with electromagnetic waves
What’s happening right now
We use countless electronic gadgets every day. We have got used to them to the extent that we can’t even imagine a life without them. A significant part of our life is spent using and enjoying them. However, charging them can be pretty much difficult. We run into many obvious difficulties while doing so. Generally , there are two widely used modes of charging them. One is to use an AC adapter which delivers electric power to your gadgets. The other option is to use solar power, though it can be used only for certain devices which have a necessary level of compatibility. It is not easy to charge these devices on a daily basis using electric AC adapters. The problem is that you will have to take the wires with you all the time, and you will need to find an electric port to charge them. With solar chargers, weather fluctuations can be the spoilsport.

Trends
1. Apple Examines WiTricity Wireless Charging for Use in Next iPhone

Apple Examines WiTricity Wireless ChargingApple plans to implement WiTricity Wireless Charging for future generation iPhones.

The future generation iPhone users can use WiTricity Wireless Charging to charge their devices. WiTricity uses a new method of transferring electric power over large distances than normally possible. WiTricity is one of Apple’s pet projects. Unfortunately, the next iPhone is not likely to make use of this technology. It is not a radically new mode of power transfer, but it transcends the limits of the existing technology. Most mobile devices could be charged using this technology if they are within the one meter limit of your computer. This new method of charging will eliminate the cables and batteries. WiTricity is attracting a lot of attention from the industry and media.
2. The phone of your dreams powered by renewable energy

Magic StoneIt is powered by the electromagnetic waves emitted by wireless transmitters

Industrial designer Alexander Mukomelov has conceptualized a handset named Magic Stone. The users of this handset can recharge it using solar power during daytime. Another striking feature of this concept is that when the sun isn’t available, the user will be able to continuously recharge it using ambient electromagnetic waves.
3. Powering small electronic gadgets with ambient electromagnetic energy

Energy-scavenging devicesIt helps in energy harvest for small electronic devices

A new technology draws electromagnetic energy from surrounding sources like radio transmitters and mobile phone networks in order to charge new devices. It is an entirely new technology as no one has been successful at this before. It uses an antenna to capture the electromagnetic signals from other sources, and later convert it from Direct current to Alternating current to store in batteries and capacitors. The device is capable of exploiting another sources of energy when one frequency weakens. It will soon be available for consumers and could be used at places like Airports.
4. Nokia’s RF charging technology:

NokiaRF recharging technology

Nokia Research Center has stated that the company is working on a prototype device that never needs power from a wall socket. The device sources all the power it needs from ambient radio waves. The cellphone will be able to convert electromagnetic radiations emitted from Wi-Fi transmitters, cellphone antennas, TV masts and other sources into usable electricity, which can recharge the phone’s onboard battery.
The concept
The term Witricity is a combo term for wireless electricity. Electricity is an essential part of our life and often the devices we use suck in electricity through wires and cables. Witricity is electricity without using electric wires. It was made possible from some researchers at MIT. Witricity uses coupled resonant objects in order to transfer electric energy to devices in a wireless mode. The system is available as a set of Witricity Transmitter and Receiver. The transmitters and receivers include magnetic loop antennas which are adjusted to the same frequency levels. You should keep the receiving devices at a distance of around a quarter wavelength from the transmitter if they are to capture the signals. Witricity uses near field resonant inductive coupling with the help of magnetic fields.It is much similar to what we find in transformers.
The advantages
There are many advantages you feel when you use Witricity. One is that the Highly Resonant Strong Coupling ensures that there is a much higher efficiency over long distances. When you transfer electric energy through magnetic energy it penetrates objects and when there are obstacles, it twists around them to get its way. It is much safer for human beings and their pets. The system is also able to handle a wide range of power levels and can also be embedded into OEM products.
The impact
Witricity would have a wide range impact which will go beyond its normal uses. It will be used to develop commercial applications which will change our lives for good. It will be used to charge mobile devices and other appliances which run on battery. Laptops too will find this new technology much useful. It will be used widely and daily appliances should adjust themselves to the new technology. It could even eliminate batteries for the large part in daily usage.