What is Wireless Charging?

Wireless charging, also known as induction charging is a form of energy transfer that makes use of electromagnetic fields generated by coils to transfer power from one point to the other. To achieve this energy transfer, the coil in the “generator” and “receiver” have to resonate at the same frequency.

Wireless charging was first demonstrated by Nikola Tesla in 1899, who foresaw a future where power would be transmitted around the planet without the need for cables. While the world has been built on the transmission of energy via wires, Tesla’s dream of a wireless future is slowly becoming a reality.

Benefits of Wireless charging

1. Ability to power devices that need to remain sealed or sterile such as medical implants
2. Reduced risk of electrical damage such as short circuiting and reduced risk of electrical accidents caused by sparks.
3. Increase in durability of devices – since there is no need for plugging and unplugging of cables, there is no case of damaged cables or ports. This also translates to a reduction in maintenance cost as mechanical connectors do not need to be repaired or replaced.
4. Increase in automation as charging can be programmed.

Disadvantages of Wireless Charging

           

1. Slow charging – wireless charging is still not as fast as wired charging, so devices take longer to charge.
2. It is more expensive.
3. Limited range – wireless charging operates within a very limited range compared to wired charging.
4. Still requires wires – Wireless charging still requires cords for the transmitter or charging pad.
5. Multiple Wireless Charging Standards – there are two main wireless charging standards (Qi and AirFuel Alliance), some devices support one and others support the other but there are also some that support both.

Wireless Charging Applications

Wireless charging has seen use in two main industries – transportation and mobile communications industry. However, we are also seeing a growing application in the healthcare industry.

Wireless Charging in The Mobile Industry

This year, Apple released the iPhone X, its first phone to support Wireless charging. Apple is a little late to the party as manufacturers such as Microsoft (Lumia), Google (Nexus), and Samsung have all released phones with support for wireless charging as far back as 2012 and 2013. However, even the aforementioned manufacturers are not the pioneers of the technology in the world of mobile phones.