This is not a good bye.

On behalf of the Unpluggie team, I would like to say THANK you!

This blog started as a school project and now it is already the end of the firt term. I cant't believe it, time flies! We are super busy dealing with papers, projects and finals...  but hey! we migh be coming back sooner than you think!

Till then BIG  thanks to all our readers for being there every week with us discovering the Wireless Power Technology, its benefits, its challenges and its applications.

We love you,

See you soon!

Wireless Power Future: A new level of convenience to everyday life?

To better understand what’s next in this innovative technology and what are companies involved working on is essential to first know what consumers are demanding.

A research of E-coupled, a near-field wireless energy transfer technology developed by Fulton Innovation, determined that customers are desiring to simplify powering and charging experiences and are expecting that wireless power add a new level of convenience to everyday life.

In other words, consumers are expecting an ubiquitous solution. The possibility of having power available anywhere and be able to charge any device in any position or any place. They see the future of wireless power similar to what is wi-fi nowadays.

Companies are aware of these needs and are working on them. Conductive mats and inductive coupling are things of the past. Charging adapters and pads are only short-term solutions that have started to prepare consumers for the real solution, a universal integration.  The future is moving towards a "smarter connected power infrastructure". Transmitters embedded in parking lots or even in stop lights, or along the highways, and wireless charging hot-zones such as wi-fi hot points are the next step.

E-coupled is a promise for this advancement. It is an intelligent source of wireless power that beats major challenges of this form of powering. Its intelligent control system overcomes the barriers of inductive coupling by communicating with objects powering in real time. The biggest benefit perceived of this technology is the feature of adapting to specific needs of each device in terms of power needs, factors in battery and charging life cycles.

Making wireless truly wireless will shake our entire world. Implementation of this lifestyle technology would definitely completely change the way we live. No more worries for dead batteries and cable clutters.

And what a better proof than to see it with your own eyes? Here is a video with a demonstration of what can E-coupled do ( a bit realated with our latest posts).

A powerful new kitchen concept

The power cord is generally regarded as “the final cord” that needs to be eliminated in order to get a true wireless user experience. As Fadi Malas said in the previous blog post, why not apply this in your kitchen?

In March 2013, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) from which we have already heard about, has established a Work Group to develop specifications for cordless kitchen appliances.

Here is the link to a PDF where they explain a little bit the concept and benefits.

Enjoy!

Let's Cut the Cord!

We learned a lot about wireless power charging for mobile phones, electric cars and buses. Wireless power is being used in other applications…and surprisingly it could be applied to our own kitchens! Wireless kitchen appliances are used in the kitchen with no need for the power cord anymore! So how does this work?!

The cooking appliances may be used on countertops or induction cooktops that have inductive power sources integrated. This technology will facilitate cooking; give more space, and easier ways to clean the appliances in kitchens. Also, the induction and power could be applied to kitchen and dining tables. This way food and drinks will stay warm.

           

The application of wireless power is witnessing no limitations from mobile phones, cars, and now our kitchens. This technology will promote ease for mobility, functionality and better safety.

Wireless Charging for Portable Medical Devices.

Wireless power technology can also be used in portal medical devices at hospitals and clinics. 

Some examples where wireless power systems could be implemented are: rolling equipment such as diagnostic and monitoring instrumentation, computer carts, drug-delivery carts, gurneys; surgical power tools, handheld diagnostic instruments, infusion pumps …

All these devices need electricity or have a battery that need to be charged in a socket.  

These tools and devices would be designated to be hermetically sealed by eliminating the need of cables, plugs or batteries. That way they could overcome many problems.

Such devices would be easier to sterilize and less prone to failures. They could contribute to improve safety at operating or patient care rooms as well as nurse’s stations and also make it easier to adapt to the needs of constantly changing staff and patients.

Thus, highly resonant wireless power transfer has the ability to enable a wide array of medical devices by powering or recharging them safely, efficiently, and over distance. I personally think that companies should invest more money on research and trials in this wireless power application, it could totally change the medical industry!

Wireless Power offers an Optimistic Prognosis for Heart Failures Patients

Regular activities such as climbing stairs or crossing a street could represent a major challenge to heart failures patients. Ventricular assist devices (VAD) are a promising treatment to improve their life conditions. However, its product design limitations can compromise patient’s safety. Its dependance to electricity requires to routed a driver line through the skin percutaneously to connect to an external battery. The exposure of this chord to external factors could affect patient’s safety and health.

Witricity and Thoratec VAD are working together to develop a solution to improve this design’s drawbacks by the usage of wireless power. Their main efforts are focused on highly resonance wireless power to recharged battery inside the body. This application of wireless-energy transfer will removed the chords allowing patients to recharge their pumps by sitting in a chair or lying in bed. Best of all, it will reduced risks of  acquiring an infection and will bettered normality in their lives.

Past efforts were based on a traditional inductive system. This energy transfer system presents a relevant shortcoming. In order to provide power, it requires a very precise alignment between energy source and device, in this case, the implant. The gap between them should be very small. Not achieving it, will result in longer charging times. In contrast, highly-resonant wireless power, provides power transfer in a flexible orientation and alignment. This derives a higher and more positive expectation towards a definite solution to VAD contributing to a value propostion of enabling higher charge rates.

VAD improvement efforts is just one example of wireless power application in the medical sector. Developers of this technology plan to employ it in other types of medical implants such as neurostimulators, implantable defibrillators and pacemakers, implantable drug-delivery pumps, electronic ophthalmic and cochlear implants, and rechargeable hearing aids.

Implementation and trials of EV wireless Charging.

Coming along with our previous posts, complementing David’s post on USU wireless electrical bus and finishing with the automotive industry, here are some other real implementations, trials and products of EV wireless charging we found already on the market!

·         Qualcomm acquired HaloIPT and did a trial of wireless charging pads in London. If you read our previous posts you can understand that this trial was implemented with cars that had a receiver coil that will get the energy from a transmitter coil installed in some parking spots through the city.

·         Another company called Plug-less Power in collaboration with Bosch, is commercializing already wireless charging pads for certain EV vehicles in the market such as Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt. The company is planning to expand its services. Check their video!

   

·         HEVO Power will provide opportunistic charging, known as Green​ Park​ing Zones​,​ for New York City dwellers and commuters gearing up to purchase a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle starting next year. Incredibly convenient, once you park, your car will start powering up​right away.  These static and quasi-dynamic wireless charging locations provide cost savings and emission reduction benefits for both vehicle owners and municipalities. HEVO's wireless solution also eliminates the hassle and potential liability risk of an EV power cord in an urban setting. EV drivers will be able to use an app that provides key features like Map It! to find vacant spots; Park it! to guide you into the right location over power stations; Pay It! which provides users with wireless bill pay; Want It! for discounts and coupons offered by local vendors in the area; a Power meter, so you can visually check on your vehicle powering up; and data utilization which shows our users their battery percentage, balances and emission savings.

·         Toyota Central R&D Labs and Toyohashi University of technology develop a prototype of dynamic charging. Currently, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed a version of the idea, what they call the on-line electric vehicle (OLEV) system. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) decided to license the technology which it’s been tested and implemented at Boston’s Logan Airport. OLEVs are charged by wireless power supply strips embedded in roadbeds as they travel above. The university hopes the deal will lead to further exports to cities or airports in the U.S. and environmentally sensitive regions such as Europe. It is already in talks to supply the system to Park City in Utah.  

    These OLEVs buses are also currently being operated at Seoul Zoo. The tram is equipped with a battery that is one-fifth the size of a typical EV battery and doesn't need overhead power wires to keep it charged. The prototype was the world's first electromagnetically-charged tram. THE OLEV is used too at Seoul Grand Park amusement park and shuttle buses on the school campus and few lines. We can see how once the technology emerge and is implemented successfully.

Because of the fixed routes buses run and frequent stops they make, induction charging is ideal and engineers can ensure that buses get a proper charge every trip without a need to stop and recharge. Instead of charging up a massive battery overnight or before a route, a smaller battery setup will recharge through time. The smaller batteries also free up interior space, reduce downtime and lower battery costs — although induction plates must be added to bus stops. Ideally, this technology would be used in city centers to replace noisy, smoky diesel buses.

Induction charging is already powering buses in some countries here in Europe:

You might think charging a bus through induction may be a new idea but buses in Torino, Italy have used this system since 2003, routes in Utrecht, the Netherlands, since 2010, there some routes in other cities like Augsburg in Germany…

Example in Germany. 

Thanks to the Primove trial of two electric buses in the city of Mannheim, passengers on the bus 63 route in Mannheim are riding the bus in a more peaceful, quieter and environmental friendly way. Charging pads were installed at stops along the route and the bus is able to run without interruption and charge while it’s picking up passengers. Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology take data gleaned from the tested bus to determine whether the batteries installed in the trial buses were the right size for the vehicle, and also monitor how much stress the electric buses put on the local power grid.

Example in Netherlands.

E-Moss is testing a 39-foot all-electric bus and induction charging panels in Den Bosch.

This bus is a converted Volvo that has had its diesel heart ripped out and replaced with batteries and an inductive power transfer wireless charging system. The bus uses both overnight wired charging and on-the-route wireless opportunity charges at bus stops.

We have seen there are plenty of examples around us. Next time while I am waiting to take the bus, for sure I am going to pay attention to the stop and the bus itself, how cool could be to stand in a bus that is better for our enviroment and moves smoothly using our beloved wireless power technology?