Internet can be wirelessly accessed. Then, how about wireless recharging? It doesn’t have a practical use now, but there are many views that it is possible. When put this technology to practical use, smartphones in our pocket can be recharged automatically anywhere such as

a café, restaurant, or office. This interesting technology is called Wi-Power. According to researchers this important technology could be put into everyday use soon

The part of wireless recharging technology is used in some smartphones and electric tooth brushes. But electric power can be transmitted only a few millimeters, so we use this in the way that we put devices on chargers. This is the principle that is called electromagnetic induction. But we need the principle called resonance to use Wi-Power. It can transmit the electricity about 10 meters. The team of professors at MIT succeeded to turn on a 60W bulb by this principle.

However, there are some problems in using this technology. The devices of transmission and reception are very big, and two devices must face each other. The ETRI research team solved this part of the problem. They invented E-Cup that recharges smartphones when the two devices don’t face each other.

E-Cups can transmit electricity 10 centimeters, but researchers say that it can transmit in a 5 square meters soon. The researcher Cho said “We can recharge smartphones without charging equipment in ten years.”

Commercialization of the wireless recharging makes our society more fast and comfortable. It will eliminate the hassle of having to use long cords and carring around heavy power banks. 

 May 27th 2017