Wireless Power... someday

[Dardedar]

DAR
I have been dreaming of this for years.

Re: "It turns out the human body is not affected by magnetic fields."

Tell that to the billion dollar magnetic therapy business.

***
Intel cuts electric cords with wireless power system

Thu Aug 21, 5:28 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Intel on Thursday showed off a wireless electric power system that analysts say could revolutionize modern life by freeing devices from transformers and wall outlets.

Intel chief technology officer Justin Rattner demonstrated a Wireless Energy Resonant Link as he spoke at the California firm's annual developers forum in San Francisco.

Electricity was sent wirelessly to a lamp on stage, lighting a 60 watt bulb that uses more power than a typical laptop computer.

Most importantly, the electricity was transmitted without zapping anything or anyone that got between the sending and receiving units.

"The trick with wireless power is not can you do it; it's can you do it safely and efficiently," Intel researcher Josh Smith said in an online video explaining the breakthrough.

"It turns out the human body is not affected by magnetic fields; it is affected by elective fields. So what we are doing is transmitting energy using the magnetic field not the electric field."

Examples of potential applications include airports, offices or other buildings that could be rigged to supply power to laptops, mobile telephones or other devices toted into them.

The technology could also be built into plugged in computer components, such as monitors, to enable them to broadcast power to devices left on desks or carried into rooms, according to Smith.

"Initially it eliminates chargers and eventually it eliminates batteries all together," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said of Intel's wireless power system.

"That is potentially a world changing event. This is the closest we've had to something being commercially available in this class."

Previous wireless power systems consisted basically of firing lightning bolts from sending to receiving units.

Smith says Intel's wireless power system is still in an early stage of development and much research remains before it can be brought to market.

Rattner spoke of technological transformations he expects by the year 2050.

"You'd like to cut the last cord," Smith said.

"It's great that we have wireless email and wireless internet and stuff like that but at the end of the day it would be nice to have wireless recharge as well."

LINK

[rubbar]

Won't the magnetic field interfere with data storage? It seems iffy, though It would be most excellent if we made that leap.

[Barbara Fitzpatrick]

How would you turn anything off? Right now the power flow through the line is either connected and the device is on or disconnected and the device is off. If the power was transmitted essentially radiantly the blocking mechanism to turn things off would be a doozy. (Lead-lined birdcage-style device cover?)

[Dardedar]

How would you turn anything off? Right now the power flow through the line is either connected and the device is on or disconnected and the device is off. If the power was transmitted essentially radiantly the blocking mechanism to turn things off would be a doozy. (Lead-lined birdcage-style device cover?)

DAR
Naw, I imagine that if you don't have a receiver tuned to receive the energy, you won't get it. Notice:

"Previous wireless power systems consisted basically of firing lightning bolts from sending to receiving units."

And we are not talking about large amounts of energy, and it looks like it is quite a way off. And many people will probably be terrified of it as with the microwave ovens and even "power lines."

D.

[JamesH]

And many people will probably be terrified of it as with the microwave ovens and even "power lines."

D.

I grew up near Mtn. Home, Arkansas and I remember as a kid some of the "old timers" telling about the first homes that had electricity. One story in particular was a family that had electric lights installed in their home and their neighbors would come by and look at the new electric lights and make comments like "that looks awfully dangerous. I don't think I will get that in my house,"

You can not stop real progress.

[ChristianLoeschel]

My biggest question is one of practical application...sure you can send your power as an electromagnetic wave, and tune your devices into the exact frequency. But how do you go about preventing your neighbors from leeching off your power?

[Doug]

My biggest question is one of practical application...sure you can send your power as an electromagnetic wave, and tune your devices into the exact frequency. But how do you go about preventing your neighbors from leeching off your power?

DOUG
Shotgun.

Or, every once in a while you turn off your own appliances and send a huge power surge to fry your neighbor's equipment.

[Dardedar]

But how do you go about preventing your neighbors from leeching off your power?

DAR
That raises an interesting question. When the energy is "sent," by the "transmitter" is it like a radio transmission in that the energy is used, dissipates, whether it is "received" or not? Or does it matter?

D.

[L.Wood]

Or, every once in a while you turn off your own appliances and send a huge power surge to fry your neighbor's equipment.

Later, I can see no reason not to limit broadcast range. Just as radio/tv does.

DAR
That raises an interesting question. When the energy is "sent," by the "transmitter" is it like a radio transmission in that the energy is used, dissipates, whether it is "received" or not? Or does it matter?

This problem could be overcome with a wireless switch. The electromagnetic wave is not sent until the receiving device sends a wireless signal. Simple to do.


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