We’re now starting to see more devices capable of charging wirelessly–be it a mobile phone or an electric car. Well, things are going the distance. Thanks to a San Jose-based startup Energous Corporation, you’ll soon be able to enjoy “power-at-a-distance” wireless charging via radio frequencies.
The Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. has approved the first ever wireless charger that works from up to three feet (1 metre) away. The certification marks a significant milestone for the consumer electronics industry, and paves the way for future wireless charging ubiquity.
The charger, called the WattUp Mid Field transmitter converts electricity into radio frequencies (RF). These radio waves are then beamed to nearby devices outfitted with a corresponding receiver.
Note that this is different from the resonant induction method seen on the Pi wireless charging system and the Qi standard. It offers greater charging range, and does not need physical contact like the current crop of wireless chargers such as solutions from Belkin and Mophie.
WattUp can also charge multiple devices simultaneously and should theoretically work on any number of devices as long as they’re outfitted with the universal receiver.
The great thing about WattUp is that it’s manufacturer-agnostic, so you’ll be able to charge your iPhone with a transmitter that’s made by Samsung or Sony, for example.
Using a complementary app, you can select which devices to charge, up to a distance of three feet (1m).
Also, Energous is the only company to achieve Wireless Charging 2.0 to date, with the ability to charge devices both at contact, as well as power-at-a-distance. For contact-based charging, it also supports fast charging on smartphones and tablets.
The company will be demonstrating its WattUp technology at CES 2018, from 9-12 January 2018.
