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This Room Could Wirelessly Charge All Your Devices
Article

This Room Could Wirelessly Charge All Your Devices

New technology delivers power to electronic devices in a test space

Sophie Bushwick
Scientific American, 2021
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8

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  • Analytical
  • Innovative
  • Scientific

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A small-scale study at the University of Tokyo is exploring the possibilities of rooms that in the future could charge all kinds of electronic devices wirelessly. The technology offers the potential to keep medical devices and manufacturing environments charged up, in addition to keeping cell phones operational. Possible harm to the human body is one obstacle researchers must still completely address. This Scientific American article provides an enticing and fascinating glimpse into the wireless future in which professional and personal devices are easily charged.

Summary

New energy transmission technology allows phones and other devices to charge without plugs or batteries.

Researchers built a room that charges electronic devices as soon as a person enters, enabling “safe and high-power wireless power transfer in large volumes,” according to Takuya Sasatani, assistant professor at University of Tokyo Graduate School of Engineering. The study, published in Nature Electronics, used a metal coil set in a magnetic field to produce electric current, similar to short-range wireless charging docks that use power from wall outlets.

Unlike typical wireless chargers that are limited...

About the Author

Sophie Bushwick is an associate editor covering technology at Scientific American.

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