Tutorial, Product Demonstration
How tesla electricity can create wireless power
- Nikola Tesla envisioned global wireless power transfer and constructed the Wardenclyffe Tower in Shoreham, Long Island, in 1901, with financing from J.P. Morgan.
- Tesla's original tower was dismantled in 1916 after Morgan lost interest in the business model of broadcasting electricity that could be freely harvested.
- Y-Tricity, a Watertown, Massachusetts startup, is reviving wireless power concepts to bridge the gap between wall outlets and devices within the last few feet of a room.
- Y-Tricity utilizes highly coupled magnetic resonance, a principle where two coils tuned to the same resonant frequency transfer energy more efficiently over distances ranging from centimeters to meters.
- The technology enables power delivery through obstacles such as walls and metal, and supports simultaneous charging of multiple devices.
- Proposed applications include embedding resonators in household surfaces like counters and floors to enable "drop-and-charge" functionality for portable electronics.
- Y-Tricity's system can extend power range beyond a single source by utilizing passive resonators to relay magnetic fields into distant locations, such as inside cabinets.
- Safety concerns regarding magnetic fields are addressed by noting field intensities match Earth's natural magnetic field and comply with existing electronic standards.
- Unlike Y-Tricity's active transmission, Intel Labs researchers Josh Smith and Alanson Sample are harvesting energy from ambient radio frequency (RF) signals via the WARP (Wireless Ambient Radio Power) project.
- WARP systems harvest energy from TV towers located up to four kilometers away, utilizing a rectifying circuit to convert radio signals into DC voltage.
- Researchers estimate that ambient TV signals in dense urban areas like Seattle can provide approximately 100 microwatts of power to small devices.
- While insufficient for high-power tasks like mobile phone calls (which require 20 milliwatts for standby), ambient RF harvesting is sufficient for low-power sensor functions, such as emergency 911 signaling.
- A key advantage of ambient RF harvesting over solar is continuous availability, as TV towers broadcast 24 hours a day, unlike solar which is limited to daylight hours.
- Intel Labs predicts that future consumer electronics will feature a persistent "reptilian brain" powered by ambient signals, eliminating the need for batteries in low-power components like digital clocks.
- A primary forward-looking goal for the industry is to eliminate disposable batteries in mundane accessories, thereby reducing waste while improving user convenience.