Say goodbye to cables? Researchers at the University of Washington just successfully tested Wi-Fi charging.<\/p>\n
With the ever-increasing number of smart, connected devices in our lives and the rise of the Internet of Things, there’s a real need for a more elegant charging solution than cables running everywhere.<\/p>\n
A recent report in Wired<\/em> detailed how the researchers equipped a variety of devices with sensors to take Wi-Fi signals from a router and turn them into DC power.<\/p>\n The team wanted the system to integrate with pre-existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, so they gave an off-the-shelf Asus router a software update to make it work as both a wireless power source and as a conventional Wi-Fi router.<\/p>\n Rechargeable batteries installed with the team’s custom sensors were charged up to 28 feet away, with a camera working up to 17 feet away and a temperature sensor working up to 20 feet away.<\/p>\n Impressive numbers for sure, but they’re hampered by the Federal Communications Commission’s limit of one-watt power outputs on wireless routers<\/span>.<\/p>\n For example, an iPhone charger is five watts and a MacBook Air charger is 45 watts, so the FCC regulation would have to change in order for this technology to have any practical value.<\/p>\n The researchers have already installed their modified routers in six homes around Seattle and are working with hardware manufacturers and a startup company to bring this technology into the mainstream.<\/p>\n Their technology isn’t yet ready for widespread adoption, but it already shows great promise.<\/p>\n Current wireless charging systems are interesting, but not terribly practical; charger cases for your smartphone are bulky and cumbersome at best, and inductive charging is somewhat pointless considering your device has to be tethered in order for it to work.<\/p>\n This is the first wireless charging solution that could be better than the wires it hopes to replace, and it uses energy that’s already all around us.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source: Mashable<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Say goodbye to cables? Researchers at the University of Washington just successfully tested Wi-Fi charging. With the ever-increasing number of smart, connected devices in our lives and the rise of the Internet of Things, there’s a real need for a more elegant charging solution than cables running everywhere. A recent report in Wired detailed how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":123207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[18],"yoast_head":"\n