We live in a wireless world. Most of the peripherals nowadays communicate over some type of wireless protocol whether it is Bluetooth, radio signals or Wi-Fi to access the Internet. The only thing that you still must have and holds your laptop is the cable to charge electricity. For a long time I've been saying (mainly as a joke) that we should invent wireless electricity, but I guess a team of six physics from MIT didn't think it is so funny and are actually working on it! This team have created WiTricity (which stands for wireless electricity).
This technology is based on strong coupling between electromagnetic resonant object to transfer energy between them wirelessly. There is a transmitter and receivers that listen to the same frequency and need to be not more than a few meters away.
The main problems that the group is still dealing with are:
- Efficiency - Make sure that not too much energy is wasted in the transmission.
- Size - Miniaturize the setup enough for commercial use - for example, to be able to fit a receiver in a laptop, cellular phone etc.
- Transmission strength - Make sue that a transmitter can power devices inside a room.
- And last but most important: Safety - The researches claim that the magnetic field is safe and are below the threshold that the FCC safety regulations require.
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