Hidden Chargers
June 20, 2019 | University of TokyoEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Researchers from the University of Tokyo led by doctoral student Takuya Sasatani, Disney Research and the University of Michigan in the U.S., created and demonstrated a room-sized device which uses magnetic fields to charge compatible devices inside it.
“The internet of things is coming,” says Sasatani. “People will soon find their environments populated by small sensors and other devices which need power and communication. We have a safe and elegant solution for this, and it too could help technology become more invisible.”
The roomwide wireless power transfer system can simultaneously charge multiple devices—or nodes—within the confines of a room. Metal sheets and electrical components are embedded within a column in the center of the room and the structure of the room itself. As the functional elements of the system are integrated into a room, this approach is most suited for inclusion in new buildings, although the research team also explore ways to retrofit existing environments.
For the system to work, researchers exploit a phenomenon called quasistatic cavity resonance. Here, oscillating magnetic fields confined to a certain volume induce the flow of charge in devices possessing specially designed coils. The magnetic field swirls around the room and the electric field is confined to the components embedded within the central pole.
“Safety is our prime concern and we will make sure that future deployments of our system meet all governmental regulations for health and safety. We use magnetic fields well within safety limits for human proximity and the electric field is isolated by capacitors in the central column,” continues Sasatani. “Conversely, the presence of people should not affect power transfer efficiency. It even plays well with Wi-Fi, though our system provides an alternative communication link with small power consumption. This can drastically extend battery life of the numerous low-power devices installed in our surroundings.”
An essential feature of devices such as sensors is they communicate their data periodically. The researchers engineered a way for compatible devices to send and receive data through the same mechanism which powers them. Compatible devices communicate with the central system at several kilobits per second by modulating a power signal in a method analogous to how AM radio works. While not yet suitable to stream videos, it’s enough to communicate many kinds of ambient data that sensors are likely to collect.
“The combined power and data capacity of our system potentially makes it suitable for environments such as hospitals, greenhouses, labs, event spaces or your home,” concludes Sasatani. “We will continue to innovate and improve power transfer loads and communication bandwidth, while ensuring compatible devices will be cheap and easy to manufacture.”
As well as being cheap to manufacture, the system should also prove inexpensive to run, using about 10 watts of power, equivalent to an efficient LED lightbulb.
Suggested Items
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: AI Implementation at Omron
04/18/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Nolan Johnson and Omron Product Manager Nick Fieldhouse discuss the company's focus on AI implementation to enhance customer experience and results. They address programming challenges and how AI can help customers achieve better outcomes with less experience. Omron's AI is compatible with existing systems, facilitating easy upgrades.
Cadence Unveils Palladium Z3 and Protium X3 Systems
04/18/2024 | Cadence Design SystemsThe Palladium Z3 and Protium X3 systems offer increased capacity, and scale from job sizes of 16 million gates up to 48 billion gates, so the largest SoCs can be tested as a whole rather than just partial models, ensuring proper functionality and performance.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: MYCRONIC's Evolution and New Solutions
04/17/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOHenry Crandall interviews Kevin Clue, the vice president of global sales for MYCRONIC's High Flex division. They discuss the company's evolution, emphasizing its strong customer relationships and its role as a versatile, turnkey solution provider. Kevin unveils new solutions launched at IPC APEX EXPO, including an AI-integrated inspection system and the A40 pick-and-place platform. The conversation also touches on the increased use of AI and deep learning.
Australian Flow Batteries and The SCHMID Group Announce Groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding
04/17/2024 | SCHMID GroupAustralian Flow Batteries Pty Ltd (AFB), a leader in innovative energy solutions and economical, safe, and reliable power storage, and SCHMID Energy Systems GmbH a company of the German SCHMID Group, a global technology leader with a rich history in delivering innovative solutions across multiple industries including Electronics, Renewables, and Energy Storage sectors, are thrilled to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Ansys Joins BAE Systems’ Mission Advantage Program to Advance Digital Engineering Across US Department of Defense
04/16/2024 | ANSYSAnsys announced it is working with BAE Systems, Inc., to accelerate the adoption of digital engineering and MBSE across the Department of Defense (DoD).