Wireless is a word that is built into our daily language. Wireless phones, wireless keyboards, and, of course, Wi-Fi, but there are few if any devices that are actually wireless, as most need a power cord or run on batteries that need to be charged via an electrical connection. That electrical connection keeps the lights on, keeps your TV steaming away, and keeps your printer printing, but what if you did not need to plug those things in and they still were able to do all of the things they do now? Science Fiction? Technically wireless power has been a part of science fiction since science fiction was ‘invented’ but the dream of truly wireless power has not become a reality, or has it?
Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi (1810.HK) is trying to take a step closer to making that dream a reality, announcing its “Mi Air Charge Technology”, a changing system that Xiaomi says will be able to charge devices within a radius of several meters. Of course, the primary objective is to keep your Xiaomi smartphone charged at all times, even as you are using it, as long as you don’t wander outside of its range, but the company says that the system will charge multiple devices at the same time, with the goal of making living rooms totally wireless, with speakers, lamps, and smart home appliances all being powered by such a device with no wires.
There are a few points that should be understood before you toss those chargers and batteries in the trash. First, Xiaomi has given no timeframe for when such a product will be available, although they show a rather large but nice looking device in the release, although they do point to the fact that the charging system will charge other devices (as long as they have the necessary power receiving system embedded, which we assume will have to come from Xiaomi or be licensed from Xiaomi). We note also that this is certainly not the first wireless ‘air charging system’ that has been shown to the public. In fact, we saw a prototype of a similar system at a CES about 7 or 8 years ago produced by a Chinese TV brand that was in development but was never released and Energous (WATT) has been promising such a system since 2015, but has yet to deliver, while Motorola (MSI) just demoed an air charging system, however it only has a range of 100cm (39.3”) and is easily blocked by objects.
The Xiaomi system uses a 144 antenna matrix to forms a millimeter wide beam. The target device has a low power ‘beacon’ system that allows the charger to locate the device, even if it is moving. The target device also contains a 14 antenna array that captures the millimeter wave and converts it to the power needed by the device for charging. The energy coming from the ‘pile’ as Xiaomi calls it (perhaps a better term might be found) is quite low and falls way below safety guidelines, again according to the company, so there is no reason to protect your brain with an aluminum foil helmet or expect to get a tan from the radiation.
While there is little additional information concerning the Xiaomi system, it would take a company like Xiaomi to be able to commercialize such a system, as a significant infrastructure would have to be built to make the system viable across a large number of devices. If anyone is successful in getting the technology to an inflection point, it would have to be so well protected as to keep others from creating a competitive product, so consumers would not be faced with deciding between a Xiaomi powered desk lamp or a ‘Samsung’ powered desk lamp. If Xiaomi (or someone else) gave away the receiving technology and produced or licensed the broadcast device, they would have some chance of monetizing such an invention, but it seems that this is just another step toward the ultimate goal of truly wireless devices, as no products using this solution are scheduled for this year, and Xiaomi uses the word ‘closer’ often when describing the technology.
Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi (1810.HK) is trying to take a step closer to making that dream a reality, announcing its “Mi Air Charge Technology”, a changing system that Xiaomi says will be able to charge devices within a radius of several meters. Of course, the primary objective is to keep your Xiaomi smartphone charged at all times, even as you are using it, as long as you don’t wander outside of its range, but the company says that the system will charge multiple devices at the same time, with the goal of making living rooms totally wireless, with speakers, lamps, and smart home appliances all being powered by such a device with no wires.
There are a few points that should be understood before you toss those chargers and batteries in the trash. First, Xiaomi has given no timeframe for when such a product will be available, although they show a rather large but nice looking device in the release, although they do point to the fact that the charging system will charge other devices (as long as they have the necessary power receiving system embedded, which we assume will have to come from Xiaomi or be licensed from Xiaomi). We note also that this is certainly not the first wireless ‘air charging system’ that has been shown to the public. In fact, we saw a prototype of a similar system at a CES about 7 or 8 years ago produced by a Chinese TV brand that was in development but was never released and Energous (WATT) has been promising such a system since 2015, but has yet to deliver, while Motorola (MSI) just demoed an air charging system, however it only has a range of 100cm (39.3”) and is easily blocked by objects.
The Xiaomi system uses a 144 antenna matrix to forms a millimeter wide beam. The target device has a low power ‘beacon’ system that allows the charger to locate the device, even if it is moving. The target device also contains a 14 antenna array that captures the millimeter wave and converts it to the power needed by the device for charging. The energy coming from the ‘pile’ as Xiaomi calls it (perhaps a better term might be found) is quite low and falls way below safety guidelines, again according to the company, so there is no reason to protect your brain with an aluminum foil helmet or expect to get a tan from the radiation.
While there is little additional information concerning the Xiaomi system, it would take a company like Xiaomi to be able to commercialize such a system, as a significant infrastructure would have to be built to make the system viable across a large number of devices. If anyone is successful in getting the technology to an inflection point, it would have to be so well protected as to keep others from creating a competitive product, so consumers would not be faced with deciding between a Xiaomi powered desk lamp or a ‘Samsung’ powered desk lamp. If Xiaomi (or someone else) gave away the receiving technology and produced or licensed the broadcast device, they would have some chance of monetizing such an invention, but it seems that this is just another step toward the ultimate goal of truly wireless devices, as no products using this solution are scheduled for this year, and Xiaomi uses the word ‘closer’ often when describing the technology.
Xiaomi Air Charger 'Pile' - Source: Xiaomi
RSS Feed