Wireless Electricity
Wireless electricity, also known as wireless power transmission, is an innovative method of energy transfer that occurs over a distance without the need for physical connections like cables. The concept emerged from research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the early 2000s, spearheaded by Marin Soljačić, and led to the establishment of WiTricity, a company specializing in this technology. This system operates on the principle of magnetic resonance, where energy is transmitted through electromagnetic fields, allowing devices such as mobile phones and electric vehicles to charge without being plugged into an outlet.
The technology holds promise for a future where homes are free from tangled cords, with multiple devices charging simultaneously from a single source. Wireless electricity is viewed as environmentally friendly, potentially eliminating the waste associated with traditional power cords and batteries. While practical applications are currently emerging, such as wireless charging for electric cars and medical devices, challenges remain regarding efficiency and effective energy transfer over longer distances. The vision is to integrate wireless power seamlessly into daily life, making it as common as Wi-Fi is today.
Wireless Electricity
Wireless electricity is a form of energy transfer from one area to another over a distance. The idea of wireless electricity came about following research regarding the use of energy. Research was initiated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The notion of transferring energy without having to plug a device into an electrical outlet is the foundation of this technological advancement. In a wireless electricity world, there is no necessity for cables, and powering a device could occur in this wireless format. A mobile phone would not require a charger plugged into an electrical plug, nor would a television screen or computer need a power cord. There is a vision of cars accessing fuel via a cordless floor panel, recharging themselves in this way. Transmission or wireless power transfer occurs via electromagnetic fields without the use of wires. Wireless electricity may also be referred to as wireless power transmission, or wire-free or wireless energy.
Background
In 2002, Marin Soljačić began thinking of wireless electricity transfer, and research was initiated at MIT. In 2007, he became one of the founders of WiTricity, which was established as an outcome of the research. This transpired after Soljačić and his colleagues demonstrated the efficient transfer of wireless power by means of a resonant type of magnetic induction the previous year. The breakthrough was the electricity transfer occurring over a considerable distance than had been successful before this time. In July 2011, Soljačić became full professor at MIT, with a primary research focus on wireless power transmission.
Wireless electricity sets up a magnetic field in air space, rather than electricity. A coil of electrical wire functions as the source resonator that is powered on, creating a magnetic field. The way in which the transfer of energy takes place is when another coil comes into proximity and an electrical charge occurs between the two. This takes place without any wire being necessary. The induction of current happens when a device enters the magnetic field that has been created, allowing wireless electrical transmission to occur.
A simple method of wireless energy is a cordless electric toothbrush. When the toothbrush is placed back in its cradle, it recharges through a type of wire-free technology. This is a kind of magnetic induction where energy is transferred between a transmitter coil and a receiver coil via a magnetic field. Given that this does not involve a large area of distance, it is a less significant example in terms of twenty-first century advances. The challenge lies in the transmission of energy without wires over a broader distance and the manner in which the position affects the electrical transfer.
When Wi-Fi started, it began as a novelty until it became an accepted mode of accessing the web. Wireless electricity is predicted to take off in the same way, with it becoming the new normal. Just as wireless Internet is now used in homes without a second thought, the idea is that the same will happen with wireless energy transfer. Wire-free energy transfer is considered as safe as the magnetic fields that function in Wi-Fi routers.
Wireless Electricity Today
WiTricity is a corporation, situated close to Boston, that holds the patents on wireless power technology utilizing a technique known as "highly resonant wireless power transfer" (HRWPT). The company originated following research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "Magnetic resonance" is another name for the technique in contrast to the traditional system of "magnetic induction." In both instances, the transfer of power occurs from one area to another. The system used by WiTricity claims to transfer power efficiently over a distance through the magnetic near-field. The benefits listed include the transference of energy over distance with spatial freedom; support for multiple devices; different sources and sizes of device resonators; and resonant repeaters (witricity.com). Spatial freedom presupposes a level of orientational flexibility with regard to the source and the device. The notion of a single source of energy being able to provide energy to multiple devices facilitates users charging numerous devices such as phones simultaneously. There is no requirement for the size of the source of device resonator to be the same. Resonant repeaters allow the extension of the range of distance through which energy transfer can take place. The wireless electricity operates by connecting a source resonator to AC power. A magnetic near-field is then induced by the source resonator. A flow of energy moves from the source to the device resonator, which is able to power an electrical gadget such as a light bulb. The CEO of WiTricity, Eric Giler, is an entrepreneur who has taken the technology invented at MIT and placed it in a commercial context.
Wireless electricity is considered more environmentally friendly than its wire-based counterpart. Given the problem of how to get rid of old power cords or batteries, new wireless technology eliminates these concerns.
The vision of the future is one in which homes will all be wire-free. Phones will self-charge without needing to be plugged in. Computers and televisions will turn on and off without the array of wires and cables of the past. Cables and tangled cords will no longer invade the home or office space. Wireless charging will instead be the hallmark of consumer-related electronic products. There will be no necessity for each mobile device to have a different charger and, as a result, numerous cords; rather, it will be possible for multiple devices to remain in a single location where they will be charged automatically. Drivers will not be filling up their cars at gas stations but rather refueling in the comfort of their driveway. The wire-free electric vehicle market entails a system whereby electric cars plug into a wireless charging device. Breakthroughs in medical technology are envisioned with regard to wireless possibilities. The most significant of these includes the recharging of a heart-pump.
By the mid-2020s, some progress had been made. Companies had designed a small portable video screen that when placed next to products in a grocery store was able to deliver advertising about the products using power sent through the air, and a smart lock that was able to recharge using a transmitter in the ceiling. However, while scientists believed they had determined how to make wireless electricity possible, it was not yet common, and among its drawbacks was low efficiency.
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