Wireless charging is becoming a new area of opportunity

Introduction: Wireless Charging is becoming a new area of opportunity, whether in the medical market, the auto market or the rapid expansion of the market for smartphones and smart homes.

In fact, as early as the 1890s, the so-called Edison's lifetime opponent Nikola invented the "Tesla Coil", the invention can transmit electricity through the air, but for various reasons, Tesla's wireless transmission design has not been put into commercial applications, But it is also the time for Tesla to start the wireless power transmission.

Until recent years, with the advent of wireless charging technology, the global popularity of smart devices and terminals, Tesla-driven electric vehicles, which had exploded overnight in commercial and civilian markets, the technology that had been accumulating early in the world, according to research institute IHS's Market Research report, Wireless charge market share in 2013 has reached 216 million U.S. dollars, 2014 began to be known, will be more widespread in 2015, and is expected to reach 815 million U.S. dollars in 2018. The patent companies that have been accumulating for years in the core technology field, like WiTricity, are increasingly demonstrating their advantages in the commercial market.

While devices that support wireless charging are becoming more common, wireless charging is becoming a new area of opportunity, regardless of the rapid expansion of the medical market, the auto market or the market for smartphones and smart homes.

Three major wireless charging standards dispute

First, WPC launched the Qi standard, Nokia as the Representative

The QI standard is the "wireless charging" standard introduced in 2008 by the Wireless Charging alliance (Wireless Power Consortium, WPC), and WPC is the world's first standardized organization to promote wireless charging technology, which uses "electromagnetic induction technology", which requires close contact, High charging efficiency.

The QI standard is mainly used in mobile phone equipment, to Lumia 920, 925 and Google Nexus 4 as the representative, want to recharge, just put the equipment in support of the Qi standard charger on the charge can be completed. At present, Samsung, Sony, Nokia, HTC, LG, such as the adoption of this standard, so the Qi standard in the industry's most influential.

The PMA Standard launched by Duracell Powermat Company

The Power Matters Alliance standard was launched in 2012 by Duracell Powermat, a joint venture between Procter and Gamble and the wireless charging technology company Powermat. At the same time, Powermat is one of the support members of the A4WP standard. The PMA standard uses the same "electromagnetic induction technology" as Qi, providing wireless power supply standards for mobile phones and electronic devices that meet the standards of the American Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Currently the franchisee has Starbucks, Google and At&t members.

A4WP standard created by Qualcomm, Samsung and Powermat

A4WP is Alliance for the Wireless power standard abbreviation, by Samsung, Qualcomm and Powermat jointly created, its use is "electromagnetic resonance wireless charging technology", can achieve long-distance transmission, this is why the A4WP standard can extend to the home, Electric vehicle field, and can charge multiple devices at the same time.

A4WP also introduced the Rezence independent brand in an attempt to establish a wireless charging standard, which also adds a technology licensing agreement between WiTricity and Intel (two A4WP members), which allows WiTricity future to be based on the Rezence specification, is applied to the Intel appliance.

However, in early 2014, A4WP and PMA suddenly announced a joint effort to urge dual-mode wireless charging technology for the market to cast a shock bomb. The industry has said that the PMA and A4WP strategy is undoubtedly to unite the secondary enemy, in order to combat the main enemy, the main enemy is naturally wireless Charge Alliance (WPC).

WiTricity, wireless charging technology business-breaking people

Three major standards of chaos, undeniable impetus to the entire wireless charging market sustainable, also activated a large number of hardware vendors, but because several major alliances are still based on electromagnetic induction of wireless charging technology, in charge of the distance required to charge the speed of the drawbacks are also obvious, coupled with the establishment of standards more needs the support of the underlying technology. How to do it further? WiTricity, a Silicon Valley focus on low-level physics research for 10 years, seems intent on breaking the situation and becoming the ice breaker for wireless charging technology.

Witricity by Dr. Marin Soljacic, an assistant professor at MIT in the United States, has mastered more than 100 patents on MRI.

Unlike the electromagnetic inductive wireless charging technology, WiTricity uses the magnetic resonance wireless charging technology, the two resonant objects with the same resonant frequency can exchange energy in a very efficient way, the key of this technology is the use of the non radiative magnetic coupling. WiTricity technology can penetrate walls and other obstacles, supporting long-distance power transmission (the current maximum distance of only 2.4 meters), not so strict position requirements, but also for a variety of equipment charging, that is, WiTricity realized the real "air separation charge."

The greatest potential of Witricity is that it can be used both now and in the future as long as you can imagine a device that requires endurance.

WiTricity CEO Alex Gruzen said in an interview with Titanium media: "This is like magic, in the future all devices will be wireless, and there will be a steady stream of power supply."

"We wanted to make a technique that, when presented to the user, would immediately shout:" That's what I wanted, "Alex Gruzen told Titanium Media excitedly.

Alex Gruzen said that the current WiTricity technology has tended to mature stage, on the basis of focus on technology research and development, the next thing to do is to help similar apple and other manufacturers in the smart home expansion. It is not difficult to see, WiTricity also look at the imminent outbreak of the Internet of things, in order to achieve the intelligent home products unconstrained power supply.

WiTricity Wireless charging technology will also be used in the automotive sector, Alex Gruzen told TI Media, auto manufacturers have also expressed their willingness to sign a cooperation agreement with them, claiming that WiTricity wireless charging technology will be used in their own cars, these cars are likely to be launched in 2017.

Alex Gruzen also talked about Tesla, in his eyes Tesla is a very interesting company, the future does not exclude the possibility of cooperation. In fact, Tesla opened up the market is the main problem is not perfect charging network, the layout of the charging network needs a lot of money, let it fall into the deeper financial quagmire, if the use of WiTricity wireless charging technology, the problem will naturally be solved.

WiTricity want to achieve the scenario is that after you go to the café, just put the phone on the table, the phone is charging, when you are in office, the desktop without any connection, all electronic equipment can be in charge state; At home, only need a central charging base, it can supply all the equipment in the room; The drone is running out of power, go to the wireless charging station and circle, fill the electricity, and then fly to the destination ...

Alex Gruzen to titanium media that this September will gradually bring WiTricity technology into more countries, he said very optimistic about the Chinese market, is currently in Taiwan and the domestic auto manufacturers to exchange promotional strategies, and for the mass market for user research.

What other cool wireless charging technology?

In fact, in addition to WiTricity, there are also representative startups such as Wi-charge and energous in the field of wireless charging technology.

Wi-charge, a start-up from Israel, has developed an infrared-light charging system that uses transmitters to convert energy into infrared light and converts infrared light into electricity with a receiver attached to an electronic device that can charge about 50 square meters of equipment. Wi-charge is currently focused on electronic products such as tablets, notebooks and mobile phones. The obvious disadvantage of this system is the inability to guarantee the quality of the charge, because the transmitter's power level is specific, each transmitter can be divergent infrared light has the actual limit, in addition, the entire scope of the number of electronic equipment, as well as the number of transmitters, will also affect the quality of the charge.

Founded in the Bay Area Energous Company relies on its own launch of WattUp wireless charging router to achieve wireless charging, WattUp built-in Bluetooth module is the key to achieve wireless charging function, it can identify the 4.5m range of compatible devices (such as mobile phones, tablets, light bulbs, etc.), It is then connected to the charging device, and the wattup will then transmit the radio waves to the desired charging device. It is worth mentioning that energous at the end of 2014 with Haier signed a cooperation agreement, WATTSUP technology will soon be used in Haier household appliances.

Admittedly, in the wireless charging technology exploration, has emerged a number of technology accumulation and potential of enterprises, but the popularity of wireless charging technology, still need to face a lot of problems. For example, WiTricity wireless charging technology, a complete set of systems priced up to 995 U.S. dollars (about 6218 yuan), and many users of wireless charging whether the human body caused by suspicion, may also be asked: This charge, electricity how to calculate?

All of these, but also lead to wireless charging in a short period of time can only be a supporting role in the field of consumer electronics. Therefore, in order to achieve a better stability, such as Wi-Fi, no harm to the human body, far away from the wireless charging technology, still need to break through technical barriers and standards are not uniform, the future may also face the supervision of national institutions.

At the same time, we have reason to believe that real wireless charging in the market will usher in a potential burst of time, by then, the battery dilemma will be criticized by the end. Perhaps also as the "three body" said: Wireless power consumption is very large, when the human energy development to be able to ignore the extent of these losses, is the popularity of wireless power supply.