Taking Chuck's question one step further, besides the additional applications, what are the realistic distances that can be expected in the near future before the costs get prohbitive?
At least this article did define the expression for the system efficiency of the charging system, even if it did not give any numbers. I am sure that if the actual efficiency were stated that the whole concept would lose a whole lot of support. Ff course, it is a "really neat gimmick", there is no question about that, but the amount of wasted power plus the large magnetic fields should really be considered as part of the package. But thye promotors are quite aware of those numbers, which is why they are not typically displayed.
I agree with eafpres: It is indeed an important article for our readership. Aside from cell phones, Tahar, can you tell us some of the biggest applications for this technology going forward? Coincidently, Design News has an article coming up involving wireless chaging of a piece of sports equipment, which also involves TI.
I'm with Eafpres on the magnetic resonance coupling. Distance is not as big of an issue. TI should get on it. (see "witricity" for more)
When I first used wireless charging with the old Palm webOS phones, I loved it. I know that the charging base (Tx) is still tether to the wall, and you place the device (Rx) on it and so the device is still tetherd, I liked the idea of setting it down freely. It is silly to use a transformer coupler like this for using a device in bed/leasure. I would still use a plug. Any other time...it's the way to go.
My HP (webOS) Touchpad wirelessly charges to my left, right now.
If we could just focus low frequency energy as we do microwaves we could increase efficiency. So the answer may be in higher frequencies, but that also causes problems. And a dish large enough to handle 60 Hz would not fit in most cities, and thus be a bit impractical. But, it may be inefficient the way it is now, and surely can be improved, but hey, it works! And it sure is convenient!.
Hi Tahar--nice article, it seems to me that TI is really leading the world in integrated solutions for all kinds of front ends, energy harvesting, low power, and wireless applications, to name a few.
I was interested in the last part of your note; I have the impression the integrated IC you note saves board space, design time, and cost, but probably does not improve electrical efficiency. Can you clarify that?
Also, I have heard a little bit about various competing wireless charging standards; in particular I heard about a magnetic resonance technique, which I suppose is different in the mechanism of power transfer. Is TI working on any solutions for this or other wireless charging approaches?
UK-based Plastic Logic and French company ISORG have created what the pair tout as a first in flexible printed electronics: a large area, conformable, organic image sensor printed on plastic.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
1 
