K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
The Internet of Things is a growing phenomenon. Everyday objects from appliances to pet collars are increasingly becoming “smart,” powered by software, sensors, and various technologies to communicate with users and other devices via the internet. The business forecast for this so-called physical web is impressive: one study estimates more than a 10% growth rate in the next five years, attaining a market value of $1.39 billion by 2026. However, IoT has a significant hurdle to overcome: power.
Larger appliances with fixed physical locations often have dedicated electrical connections. However, many IoT devices are smaller mobile technologies that rely on batteries rather than a dedicated energy source. One study suggests that by 2025, there will be 41.6 billion IoT devices, including heart monitors or agricultural sensors for which wired power is impractical.
Imagine your phone, watch, or toothbrush—or any equipped mobile or battery-powered device—deriving continuous electricity, all the time, without the need to be connected to a power cable or docking station again.
Enter the smart power company WiGL (Wireless-electric Grid Local Air Networks). Pronounced “wiggle,” its namesake technology is a form of wireless and touchless power. Wireless power is relatively common now that many smartphones, watches, and rechargeable toothbrushes allow surface charging rather than cable charging. However, touchless power offers an entirely different capability: delivering electricity through the air. Imagine your phone, watch, or toothbrush—or any equipped mobile or battery-powered device—deriving electricity all the time, without the need to be connected to a power cable or docking station ever again. While intriguing, this possibility does raise questions about transmission capacity and safety, as well as the implications of such a technology on the built environment.
According to the Hampton, Va.-based company, WiGL functions just like Wi-Fi. Like Wi-Fi routers, WiGL transmitters convey radio frequency (RF) signals through the air. In its case, however, WiGL delivers energy rather than information. The technology makes use of RF electromagnetic radiation (EMR), generating an electric field similar to that emitted by broadcast television or microwave ovens. Wi-Fi generates an electric field in the high-frequency range since RF radiation can carry information as well as energy. WiGL technology builds on established Wi-Fi standards. The Federal Communications Commission caps the Wi-Fi transmission rate at 1 watt at the 2.4-GHz frequency to maintain safe levels of RF exposure. Because WiGL adheres to this limit, the company claims its technology is safe for people.
Read more: https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/the-internet-of-things-approaches-wireless-touchless-power_o
Larger appliances with fixed physical locations often have dedicated electrical connections. However, many IoT devices are smaller mobile technologies that rely on batteries rather than a dedicated energy source. One study suggests that by 2025, there will be 41.6 billion IoT devices, including heart monitors or agricultural sensors for which wired power is impractical.
Imagine your phone, watch, or toothbrush—or any equipped mobile or battery-powered device—deriving continuous electricity, all the time, without the need to be connected to a power cable or docking station again.
Enter the smart power company WiGL (Wireless-electric Grid Local Air Networks). Pronounced “wiggle,” its namesake technology is a form of wireless and touchless power. Wireless power is relatively common now that many smartphones, watches, and rechargeable toothbrushes allow surface charging rather than cable charging. However, touchless power offers an entirely different capability: delivering electricity through the air. Imagine your phone, watch, or toothbrush—or any equipped mobile or battery-powered device—deriving electricity all the time, without the need to be connected to a power cable or docking station ever again. While intriguing, this possibility does raise questions about transmission capacity and safety, as well as the implications of such a technology on the built environment.
According to the Hampton, Va.-based company, WiGL functions just like Wi-Fi. Like Wi-Fi routers, WiGL transmitters convey radio frequency (RF) signals through the air. In its case, however, WiGL delivers energy rather than information. The technology makes use of RF electromagnetic radiation (EMR), generating an electric field similar to that emitted by broadcast television or microwave ovens. Wi-Fi generates an electric field in the high-frequency range since RF radiation can carry information as well as energy. WiGL technology builds on established Wi-Fi standards. The Federal Communications Commission caps the Wi-Fi transmission rate at 1 watt at the 2.4-GHz frequency to maintain safe levels of RF exposure. Because WiGL adheres to this limit, the company claims its technology is safe for people.
Read more: https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/the-internet-of-things-approaches-wireless-touchless-power_o
