Humans will enter the era of wireless electricity

The era of plugs and wires may end soon because mobile phones, televisions and other devices can charge without wires, scientists say.

Eric Giler, chief executive of Witricity, a wireless power company development company, said wireless charging technology will replace batteries and traditional power sources in the future.

' Each year about 40 billion batteries are produced for devices. If the wireless power system is widely used, we will save a huge amount of money for battery production , 'Giler said.

At a technology conference at the University of Oxford (UK) last week, Giler demonstrated a wireless charging screen for iPhone (Apple) and G1 (T-Mobile) mobile phones. He said the new technology would attract the attention of TV screen makers. In the context of a wall-mounted flat panel display is increasingly popular, the wireless charging system will help users dispose of entangled electrical wires.

Illustration Witricity wireless power charging system.
(Photo: darkgoverment.com)

Electromagnetic resonance is a physical phenomenon whereby two objects with the same resonance frequency can transmit energy to each other without causing any effect on other objects around. The witricity wireless power system uses two coils that have the same electromagnetic resonance frequency to transmit electricity. The main coil is connected to the power source and the secondary coil is in (or connected to) the device. When electricity runs through the main coil, the magnetic field it produces will resonate with the magnetic field of the secondary coil, enabling energy flows from the main coil to the secondary coil. High voltage will automatically form in the coil in the device, so that it receives electricity.

According to Giler, soon it is possible to attach sub-coils to ceilings, floors or near desks so they can automatically power a variety of nearby devices.

Research on the potential of wireless electricity has been done for years. The initiator of this effort is the physicist Marin Soljacic of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA).

" The witricity system is very safe because energy is transmitted in the electromagnetic field. Meanwhile, humans and most of the objects around us don't have magnetism ," said Soljacic.

Intel expert demonstrates wireless charging technology to light bulbs at the Las Vegas consumer electronics show in 2008. (Photo: BBC)

Witricity uses low frequency electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of about 30 m. Shorter wavelengths cannot transmit energy.

In 2008, Intel Corporation announced solutions to provide wireless power to the device. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, many manufacturers also brought many products capable of wireless charging. Palm has launched a wireless charger for its Pre phones. The charger, called Touchstone, still needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet, but users can simply put it on the charger to charge.