A phone with zero battery is the biggest nightmare anyone could think, and the biggest concern is when there is no electric socket in sight. But the day is no far away when wearable, and mobile devices could involve in ‘power-sharing’ through wireless modes of charging each other on the way, says the researchers.
It is an inventive solution that could aid people to charge their mobile and other wearable gadgets without the requirement of an electric plug conveniently. It is a lucrative option, especially for emergency conditions, scientists stated.
Wearable devices and mobiles are now almost everywhere, but their battery life is still limited, with most of them persisting for even less than a day. There are some units available these days that offer extra power to cell phones and wearable, like solar cells, mobile hand generators and power packs. It is true that the external power packs have gained popularity, but they also add weight and size. Also, solar cells and mobile hand generators generate only a restricted amount of energy.
There was an invention known as PowerShake that enables mobile and other wearable devices to charge wirelessly, but the fact is that most of these stations are static and do not allow charging of devices that are near the contact with skin. “When mobile phones were introduced, then people found the convenient because they were not fixed, but it is not the complete truth. These gadgets require a fixed wire connection during charging, and so we thought to bring a solution where there is no need of fixed connections even the battery has to be recharged again and again,” says Mike Fraser, a researcher at the University of Bristol, England.
The process of wireless charging will require two coils – one in power receiver and the other in power transmitter. When an electric current passes via the power transmitter coil, then it will generate an electromagnetic field that allows transmitting of charge to another coil. The results will be better with power transmission at short distances.
The researchers performed the experiment with an array of receiver coils and power transmitters. Also, an electromagnetic shield made with copper tape and ferrite plates were devised on the coils back for preventing the entry of transmitted energy into human tissue.
According to the results of the experiment, PowerShake is compatible with wireless charging, fit into minute devices and delivered high performance. But one limitation of PowerShake is that it requires double the amount of energy as is being transmitted.
Conclusion – In workshops, the potential efficacy of PowerShake is being appreciated, but the power cost is a major thing that requires consideration. “Still if someone is running short of power on a specific device and needs to recharge it on an emergency basis, then it can be a supportive device,” says Fraser. The researchers are now looking forward how this unit will perform in the real-time.
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