A research team from the University of Washington (UW) is working on repurposing current Wi-Fi networks that are used for to communication so that they allow us to recharge our electronic devices wirelessly as well.
The UW engineers have designed a system that allows them to recharge a device from 30 feet away with no help from wires. Researchers explained that wireless charging is just the next logical step after Wireless data communications due to the gigantic Wi-Fi infrastructure we have already in place.
Scientists dubbed their technology “Power over Wi-Fi.” It can convert radio frequency that wireless routers emit into direct current (DC) power. The UW team’s invention is more efficient that those of some companies such as Energous who require a separate set of equipment.
The team was also able to solve a problem related to overcharging Wi-Fi routers. They explained that they tricked the devices into emitting power signals only when user traffic sank below a certain level.
“If we wanted to just blast as much power as we possibly can, that would kill your Wi-Fi, because you’d have power on the channel all the time,”
noted Bryce Kellogg, one of the UW engineers involved in the project.
The router was tweaked into splitting the continuous power a channel received among three separate Wi-Fi channels. The trick allowed engineers to obtain the same energy output without affecting too much a particular channel.
According to the team, the idea of wireless charging is not new. Nikola Tesla, the Serbia-born designer of alternating current (AC) system that is used in modern day power grids, had a similar idea in early 20th Century. Back then, he dreamed of removing wires from power and communication.
So the “power over Wi-Fi” may make Mr. Tesla’s dreams come true. Researchers tested the technology on a camera, temperature sensors and rechargeable batteries. They managed to recharge batteries from 28 feet, while the camera needed 17 feet to connect with the router. The team explained that such limitations are caused by Federal Communications Commission guidelines that restrict router power to 1 watt.
Moreover, five out of six experiments showed that the new technology does not throttle internet speeds.
Researchers explained that their invention was just the beginning. They are looking into improving it and make it available on a larger scale. They also said that wireless recharging had endless applications for the Internet of Things (IoT), a project to wirelessly connect things and people with one another through the Internet and in-built sensors.
Image Source: Connected Droggers