Latest news with #wirelesspower
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
DARPA smashes wireless power record, beaming energy more than 5 miles away — and uses it to make popcorn
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The U.S. military has set a new record for wireless power transmission, beaming a laser carrying more than 800 watts of power across a distance of 5.3 miles (8.6 kilometers). The test, performed by the U.S. military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of its Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program, is a key step toward unlocking the near-instant beaming of power. It also smashes previous records set by the POWER program, which previously beamed 230 watts across 1 mile (1.7 km) for 25 seconds, and a smaller, undisclosed amount of power as far as 2.3 miles (3.7 km). "It is beyond a doubt that we absolutely obliterated all previously reported optical power beaming demonstrations for power and distance," Paul Jaffe, the POWER program manager, said in a statement. The concept of wireless power transmission (WPT) has been a popular goal since the days of Nikola Tesla, who in 1901 began constructing the Wardenclyffe Tower on Long Island, New York — a 187-foot (57 meters) structure intended to be the first node in a "World Wireless System" that would beam power around the globe. Yet technical challenges meant that funding for the project, initially provided by the financier J.P. Morgan, dried up, leaving Tesla's vision unrealized. Related: NASA's 1st successful 2-way laser experiment is a giant leap for moon and Mars communications Nonetheless, interest in the concept has recently increased, both for military applications and space-based solar power, a nascent technology that would collect and transmit energy from sunlight in space, where it is 10 times more intense than at Earth's surface. Energy is essential for military operations, and getting that energy to the battlefields and disaster areas where it's needed is slow, risky, and resource intensive, often using up a lot of fuel, DARPA representatives wrote in the statement. RELATED STORIES —World's most powerful X-ray laser set for massive upgrade that will help us better understand the atomic world —DARPA's military-grade 'quantum laser' will use entangled photons to outshine conventional laser beams—Scientists uncover the secret to building Star Wars-style laser weapons — but don't worry, we won't have a Death Star anytime soon "These tests, referred to as PRAD (POWER Receiver Array Demo), mark an important step toward the POWER program's long-term goal of being able to instantly beam power from a location where it can be easily generated to wherever it's needed," the agency added. In the latest experiment, conducted at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the power was beamed over the 5.3-mile distance in a 30-second pulse. The laser beam arrived at the receiver before passing through a small aperture, bouncing off a parabolic mirror onto solar cells within. The pulse was transmitted with an approximate 20% efficiency, and some of the power it transmitted was used to make popcorn. The researchers have bigger ambitions for the system's use in the field, however, suggesting that it could be used to power unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They will now move on to testing power beaming both across multiple connected relays and vertically, where the atmosphere is thinner and transmission more efficient.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
This incredible truly wireless desktop PC build even keeps your coffee hot forever
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you thought wireless power delivery was handy for charging phones but not terribly practical for much else, prepare to have your mind blown. One of our favourite YouTube channels, DIY Perks, has just dropped a new video showcasing a new fully 3D wireless power delivery technology that looks, well, revolutionary. Imagine a desktop that can power just about anything wirelessly. There's no need to align anything carefully with a charging pad. You don't even need to be resting on the surface, the power can be transmitted to devices positioned a foot or more above the desk surface. That's exactly what DIY Perk's truly wireless power desk is capable of. The basic principles here are similar to existing wireless charging pads as typically used with smartphones. Those use a coil to generate a magnetic field that flips in polarity thousands of times a second. If you place another coil nearby, an electric current is induced. The problem is that the secondary coil has to be positioned very close and be quite precisely aligned. But this new 3D wireless power system can cover a very large area defined by the perimeter of a single length of wire. The 3D wireless power hardware in the video is provided by Etherdyne Technologies and a full evaluation kit as used by DIY Perks is available through their website, though the cost isn't clear. The kit is claimed to be both FCC and CE certified and can deliver up to 100 W of power. The evaluation unit is composed of a control box, power supply, plus the field-generating wire and has been designed to be embedded within a desktop measuring around two feet by four feet. The wire generates a magnetic field in the same way as a charging pad but flips polarity much more rapidly, millions of times per second. The technology also relies on being precisely tuned to resonate at this frequency. The result is a "dome" of 3D wireless power above the desk surface. Exactly how far above the desk the power can be transmitted isn't stated, but going by the DIY Perks video, the power dome extends well over a foot above the desk surface, at minimum. For this demo, DIY Perks built a PC based on a super-slim Frameworks laptop mainboard into the underneath of desk surface. Up top, there's everything from a keyboard and mouse, Bluetooth speakers, a microphone and even a monitor, all powered wirelessly. The monitor also runs via a wireless HDMI video interface, enabling a truly wireless solution with a totally cable-free screen that can be slid around the surface. DIY Perks' final flourish is a wirelessly heated coffee mug that keeps fluids at a constant 70 degrees C. Nice. At this point you may be wondering why you haven't heard of all this before and what the catch must be. Well, the first downside is power efficiency. DIY Perks doesn't go into great detail on this subject, but points out that the system isn't 100% efficient and consumes 10 W at idle. Our understanding is that overall efficiency is probably in the 70 to 80% region at best. Then again, if you're powering it all with renewables like solar, some losses arguably aren't the end of the world. Overall power delivery is another obvious limitation. That 100 W figure, we believe, is a total for all devices being powered. For sure, the largest power receiver coil in the kit delivers just 7 W. For a desktop solution like this, the main power draw is the PC itself which can run on wired power. DIY Perks says it has used a pair of receivers, so presumably that's two times 7 W. For sure, it's not a large display and probably isn't very bright. A typical PC monitor probably isn't compatible with the evaluation kit as currently specced—and you can forget about a power-hungry OLED panel. But then this is early days for 3D wireless power and more, well, powerful solutions may be possible. As for other concerns around safety, interference with other devices, health implications and so on, well, that's outside our expertise. But as a tech demo this is all very impressive. Heck, just having what you might call a perpetual wireless keyboard and mouse would be nice, let alone a truly wireless monitor and a cup of coffee that never, ever gets cold. Best CPU for gaming: Top chips from Intel and gaming motherboard: The right graphics card: Your perfect pixel-pusher SSD for gaming: Get into the game first.
National Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Wi-Charge Secures $20 Million to Expand World's First Commercial Wireless Power Platform
Article content With over-the-air wireless power now live in global markets, Wi-Charge will use the new funding to scale production, fast-track OEM integrations, and meet growing partner demand. Article content Article content TEL AVIV, Israel — Wi-Charge, the global leader in long-range wireless power, today announced it has raised $20 million in Series C funding led by Standard Investments, the related investment platform of the global industrial company Standard Industries, with participation from existing investors and new investors, including the prestigious EIC Fund, the investment arm of the European Innovation Council. The investment will accelerate Wi-Charge's commercial rollout and expand its footprint across hospitality, smart home, commercial, retail, mobile device, and the fast-growing AR and wearables sectors. Article content This funding follows a series of commercial product launches that signal Wi-Charge's transition from research and development to real-world deployment. In recent months, the company has introduced multiple wirelessly powered display solutions, including the Wi-Poster, a 31-inch large-format color E-Ink display; Nine-inch Wirelessly Powered LCD Video Displays for retail, which bring video content directly to the point of purchase; and the first-of-its-kind digital out-of-home solution, over-the-air powered for retail environments. These launches expand the portfolio of products supported by Wi-Charge wireless power, including smart home devices like Alfred smart locks, and highlight both the versatility of Wi-Charge's technology and its readiness to scale across multiple industries. Article content 'Wi-Charge is at an inflection point with innovative technology, strong IP, and market timing converging,' said Peter Marturano, Technology Sector Head at Standard Investments. 'We believe Wi-Charge is uniquely positioned to lead the transformation to a wireless power future, and we're excited to support the team as they scale to meet the potential for vast global demand.' Article content Backed by more than 200 patents and over a decade of research and development, Wi-Charge is the first company to deliver and commercialize true over-the-air wireless power. Its proprietary, physics-based approach has enabled the company to overcome barriers that have stalled others in the space. With proven applications across smart home, hospitality, consumer electronics, retail, and digital signage, Wi-Charge is ready to power the next generation of connected devices. Article content 'Wireless power has been an impossible dream for so long—and now it's real. Deployed in the US, Europe and Asia, it is being used successfully by small and major brands, powering different devices from 30 feet away,' said Ori Mor, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of Wi-Charge. 'When people see it in action, there's this moment when it clicks. Suddenly, what seemed like science fiction becomes reality, and cables immediately seem cumbersome and outdated. We're seeing a wave of OEMs quickly moving to integrate wireless power, recognizing the value of offering freedom from wires and battery charging. This funding helps us move faster and scale to meet these new demands.' Article content The Series C round will help scale manufacturing, accelerate OEM integration, build out global distribution, and scale the commercialization team. With additional product launches and partnerships already in the pipeline, Wi-Charge is rapidly becoming the foundation for a wirelessly powered future. Article content 'We're unlocking a new era of truly wireless living—eliminating cables and batteries, one product at a time,' said Mor. 'As AR glasses, next-gen mobile devices, and edge AI hardware go mainstream, they'll all need reliable, long-range power. This funding helps us move faster to meet that need—and to make sure our partners are leading the charge, not playing catch-up.' Article content Wi-Charge is a long-range wireless power company founded to enable automatic charging of cell phones and other smart devices. Our patented infrared wireless power technology can safely and efficiently deliver several watts of power to client devices over room-sized distances. Giving end-users freedom and product designers the power they need for the next generation of mobile smart devices, Wi-Charge is the power of the future, beyond batteries and power cords. For more information, visit or follow us on LinkedIn. Article content Article content Article content Article content
