When uBeam came out in 2011 with a couple of prototypes for ultrasound wireless charging, there were a lot of negative comments – mainly because the developers were hesitant to publicly show the technology behind their prototype for fear that competitors might steal their tech. That is all in the past now, as uBeam founder Meredith Perry has now come out with extensive data about the technology behind their up and coming product.
In a long note on the uBeam website, Perry has come out with a number of details about the uBeam ultrasound technology that has apparently convinced some big names in venture capitals to bring over USD$23 million to the company to fund their work and bring the product market. At its heart, uBeam is a system that can convert power (and data) to ultrasound and transmit it via line-of-sight to a device that transduces the ultrasound back to energy form, thereby being able to provide power for charging a device.
Perry goes through the technology’s highlights at length, also making known the fact that it is safe to use and will have no adverse effects on humans, even with prolonged exposure. The protocols – that is, the frequency of ultrasound waves – they will be using are legal, they do not infringe on any frequency being used at the moment.
The biggest problem right now for uBeam is the line-of-sight requirement. From a transmitter, it can theoretically charge a smartphone with one of its receivers (built like a smartphone case) connected anywhere within a room, as long as there is line-of-sight. Once there is interference, like a wall or a human body, the connection is broken. We will have to see how uBeam will bring its tech to the market, but it looks promising.
VIA: Tech Crunch
