By Gemma Simpson, 17 November 2006 10:00
NEWS
Electronic gadgets could soon automatically charge up when their owners wander into their home or office - without the need for cumbersome cables or chargers.
Physicists at MIT have devised a system that could supply power to devices such as laptops, mobiles and MP3 players without wiring up to the mains.
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Marin Soljacic, assistant professor of physics at MIT, told silicon.com the device would work in a similar way to wi-fi, with a plug-in device in the home or office providing a signal to recharge all types of gadgets.
Any device in need of a power-up would need to be fitted with a card, similar to a wi-fi card in a laptop, to receive the signal and start charging, Soljacic added.
When any device fitted with a 'recharge card' came within range of the emitter (around three to five metres), it would automatically replenish its energy stores.
The proposed system uses magnetic fields that shouldn't affect humans.
The team has not tested a physical system yet but computer models and mathematics suggest it will work.
Soljacic said experiments to develop the physical device are already underway and are expected to be completed within one year.
Comments
There are 3 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
I seem to remember people living near television masts in the 60s and 70s putting large wiring loops in their home so they could steal energy from the transmitter. They were fined .. !
2. Tim Jackson
Fields from power lines shouldn't affect humans either. Fields from mobile phone masts shouldn't affect humans either.
I can see the tabloids having a 'field' day!
3. Simon
Oh boy, have they really done the sums ?
This will require a 'significant' magnetic field - so think the scares over mobile fields srengths are overdone ? Wait till the public hear about these field strengths !
Then there is the matter of efficiency. At least plug-in chargers reduce their consumption when idle - these systems are going to be expending 'significant' amounts of energy maintaining the field whether it's used or not.