Kazio Networks

Wireless power is a pretty intriguing technology that has been lingering within the electronics industry but has often been deemed more gimmicky (than useful). The wireless electricity theory has been around for more than 100 years with engineer/ inventor Nikola Tesla’s wireless radio/power experiments of the early 20th Century; so it is nothing new but more of a reinvented technology.

Nikola failed to bring this to light (no pun intended) because of two things … 1) the technology was before it’s time and 2) his financing was taken away because his investors didn’t like the idea of him wanting to give electricity away for free. But recently, serious investments from companies/groups like PowerBeam, Powercast, MIT’s Witricity, Powermat, eCoupled, WiPower and WildCharge are taking the idea to another level and making it reality.

It’s a step in the right direction.

PowerBeam in particular has achieved wireless power to about 32 feet – which they claim to be the longest distance achieved so far. They do it with emission of laser from a *line of sight* type transmitter to a solar cell receiver where it is then converted into electricity to power a particular device. Witricity’s electrical transmission is done with inductive coupling in magnetic fields. Powercast uses RF signals to deliver power through walls, ceilings and surfaces (rubber, plastic, plaster and wood). Powermat, eCoupled, WiPower and WildCharge concentrate on transmitting electricity across a very short distance with inductive coupling to charge devices on a charging pad.

At this *experimental* stage the wattage output is still pretty low; so the type/ amount of devices being powered are limited. Some claim the average efficiency rate of around 60%, which is pretty decent considering some household appliances don’t even reach that.

Of all the companies, I believe Powercast may be the one that could take the leap onto the factory floor and control systems. This is partly because RF is already present and in use within several industry sectors. In terms of power, the low voltages could be enough to power up some factory floor devices like switches, scanners, cameras, PLCs, I/O and more. The biggest hindrance would be the reliability, safety and security factors – which they aren’t majorly concerned about yet. Rightly so, considering it is still considered *experimental*.

“Lead and everyone will follow.”

Whether it jumps into the industrial realm will depend on the demand and whether there is a market for it. I believe there is one, but reliability and security factors may scare the industry. It will take a big company to lead by example. I could see ISA potentially bundling it within their ISA99 or ISA100 security/wireless standards respectively — alternatively coming up with a new one. The Wireless Consortium is already pursuing a standard.

As with everything, the *fear of the unknown* stops everyone from embracing innovation and wireless power may be one that is too risky to embrace (yet). When properly standardized, its quirks hammered out and the disadvantages properly combated, the costs savings and convenience factors could be so great that it would be hard to not warrant consideration. Infrastructure design and installations could take a new dimension as with how wireless (data) is taking the industry by storm now. The biggest outcry will come from the cable manufacturers (without trying to state the obvious).

YouTube has some interesting demonstrations of wireless power/ electricity here and here.

We are now faced with the same dilemma Tesla had years ago… are we ready for it or is the technology way ahead of our time (yet again)?