Accessories Charging Via Wifi?

[ndh777]

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/46821

According to this article, there is a device that allows charging via Wifi and went on sale last summer...

From my online research, I have only read about people using it for BlackBerry...is there a such thing for Android devices...mostly wondering about the HTC Evo 4G and Epic 4G.

And can anyone explain how it works? Not much information has been given on if it works straight over wifi or if other devices are needed to charge. And what places sell it? Amazon was my first choice.

 

[ScorpDX]

At the bottom of the article...

[Update: This might be a case of really wishful thinking (or a hoax). Head over to this blog for more information. If you have another link with additional details, leave it in the comments.]

 

[ndh777]

Hmm...so much for being optimistic. :/ I read it in more than one place though. Each one is really vague.

 

[firebirdude]

Fake as can be

 

[ndh777]

Fake as can be

It's not completely fake...it is possible as waves are pretty well the same thing. Energizer's way of "wireless" charging isn't really wireless but wifi would be. The waves that wifi produces are pretty well the same as any other wave.

It is practical and could potentially work.


EDIT: Although...on second look of the actual device in the picture, the RCA symbol looks like it was poorly photoshopped on.

 

[javiergue93]

This is just a rumor. it is scientificly impossible

 

[bvbull200]

This is just a rumor. it is scientificly impossible

Which part is impossible? Charging specifically via a WiFi signal may be impossible, but wireless charging is not, and I don't mean pointless Powermat thing either.

Fujitsu has been working on a method of wireless charging that uses magnetic resonance and has the potential to work over some fairly long distances. The infant version of the real-world application is still a year or so away, with its potential still a bit further away than that, but the technology is there.

 

[ndh777]

Which part is impossible? Charging specifically via a WiFi signal may be impossible, but wireless charging is not, and I don't mean pointless Powermat thing either.

Fujitsu has been working on a method of wireless charging that uses magnetic resonance and has the potential to work over some fairly long distances. The infant version of the real-world application is still a year or so away, with its potential still a bit further away than that, but the technology is there.

Sounds very cool. Hopefully it'll work and be open to us soon. Wifi charging would be better...but wireless charging would be cool too...

 

[mcl1981]

This has got to be the stupidest thing I've read all year.

 

[Thefoodman52]

As of right now, if you had wireless charging going on in a room....

as soon as you walked into the room to get your charging device(S), you would more than likely be cooked from the inside out from all the radiation.



I dunno about you, but I'm not too keen on being a baked potato.

 

[ndh777]

As of right now, if you had wireless charging going on in a room....

as soon as you walked into the room to get your charging device(S), you would more than likely be cooked from the inside out from all the radiation.



I dunno about you, but I'm not too keen on being a baked potato.

I'm sure people thought that about early stages of wifi. Everyday we are exposed to radiation in small doses, maybe not in large doses that can kill, but radiation exposure nonetheless. Also, it would depend on how big the room is that you would be in. If you were in a normal sized closet, yeah, but if you were in an airplane garage, highly unlikely to kill.

 

[Rigmaster]

Charging via wifi? No. Even if theoretically possible, it wouldn't be very efficient since it would mean power discharge through open air. At best, cordless charging via some type of case not requiring a dongle or special adapter is the most to hope for any time soon. It would be nice to simply be able to drop a battery onto a surface and have the charging done without adding anything. I think the technology exists for small kitchen appliances, but it hasn't made it's way to electronic gadgets just yet.

 

[bvbull200]

This has got to be the stupidest thing I've read all year.

That's because you hadn't read this yet:

As of right now, if you had wireless charging going on in a room....

as soon as you walked into the room to get your charging device(S), you would more than likely be cooked from the inside out from all the radiation.



I dunno about you, but I'm not too keen on being a baked potato.

Energy != radiation

Read this link about what Fujitsu has developed/is developing and see if you change your tune. I've even read that they have it working a dozen or so centimeters away, already.

All charging is, is converting one form of energy to another. There are PLENTY of types of energy that do not involve radiation (thermal, kinetic, magnetic, etc.). In addition, energy such as solar, contains radiation, but in a very small dose so as to be inconsequential. You know the energy that powers a pocket calculator isn't going to mutate you, right?

Fujitsu Develops Technology for Design of Compact, High-Efficiency Wireless Charging Systems : Fujitsu Global

 

[bvbull200]

Charging via wifi? No. Even if theoretically possible, it wouldn't be very efficient since it would mean power discharge through open air. At best, cordless charging via some type of case not requiring a dongle or special adapter is the most to hope for any time soon. It would be nice to simply be able to drop a battery onto a surface and have the charging done without adding anything. I think the technology exists for small kitchen appliances, but it hasn't made it's way to electronic gadgets just yet.

They could do it, but it would have to be standardized and then put in the phones/batteries by the manufacturer. The only reason we don't have a phone now that works on a Powermat type base without any aftermarket equipment is cost.

I don't know how feasible it is, but I would like to see something that converts kinetic energy in to battery power, similar to how some watches work. Just walking with it in your pocket would provide some juice and if you really needed it, spin it in your hands for a while. That or use the glass from the Citizen Eco-Drive watches for solar powering.

 

[MrJamesDean]

Well.. if Tesla is concern, its possible