True Wireless Power: This Tech Delivers Up To 100W With No Cables

Wireless charging has been around in smartphones for over a decade now, but the technology has been more marketing fluff more than anything. The fact that you need to perfectly place your smartphone on a charging pad, which in itself is wired, makes you question the wireless-ness of the so-called wireless chargers. 

While wireless chargers fit more aesthetically on a desk or side tables, they are nowhere close to a true implementation of wireless power. Ideally, true wireless power should keep the electronics running without needing physical contact with a power source.

The latest wireless power delivery technology from ETI, or Etherdyne Technologies Inc., does just that by creating a magnetic force field of sorts. Electronics fitted with receivers can draw up to 100 W of power inside the magnetic field from a reasonable distance. The magnetic field created using ETI's Eval kit can span a few feet above a regular office desk, which is a massive upgrade over the minuscule charging distances on typical wireless chargers.

ETI's Eval kit comes with an RF generator capable of delivering up to 100W of power. The RF generator connects to a wire loop long enough for a 2x4-foot table, together making the transmitter unit that creates the magnetic field. 

The kit also comes with 16 receivers, each shaped to cater to specific use cases. The bigger ones naturally draw more power but also take up more space, making them suitable for more power-hungry devices. The smaller ones can draw much less power, making them better suited for LED strips and wireless keyboards that naturally make your desk clean and clutter-free.

The technology allows for multiple devices to draw power simultaneously inside the magnetic field. However, what truly sets ETI's technology apart is how devices don't need wires or physical contact with a power source. You can even move the devices inside the force field without experiencing fluctuations or power loss, making the implementation feel wireless in its truest sense.

One way ETI's technology transmits wireless power is by amping up the frequency on the RF generator to 6.8 MHz as opposed to working off a regular wireless charger that operates at a few thousand hertz. Considering how high-frequency signals like 5G have been villainized in the past due to potential health risks, it is important to mention that ETI's implementation is safe to use. 

The technology complies with multiple safety standards like Part 18 of the FCC regulations and the CE standards for electromagnetic emissions, and its frequency lies well within the safe limits. In fact, the magnetic field at regular distances is weaker than Earth's own magnetic field, making it safe to use.

The only downsides are that the system consumes 10 W of power at all times to maintain the magnetic field, and the power delivery is slightly more inefficient for smaller devices. That said, wireless power has immense potential, as shown by YouTuber Matthew Perks, who created a truly wireless desk setup. 

The setup includes a keyboard, mouse, pair of speakers, microphone, and monitor, all powered wirelessly by the RF transmitter. He even included an always-warm coffee mug. Apart from the aesthetic perks, the setup offers multiple quality-of-life improvements, such as never needing to charge your Bluetooth peripherals, or being able to move your monitor anywhere on the desk. ETI's Eval kit is currently only offered to select individuals for research and development. However, considering the maturity of this technology, a truly wireless product could soon be around the corner.