The Alliance For Wireless Power is an industry standard group that uses the principles of magnetic resonance to develop a
wireless energy transfer
Wireless power transfer (WPT), wireless power transmission, wireless energy transmission (WET), or electromagnetic power transfer is the transmission of electrical energy without wires as a physical link. In a wireless power transmission system ...
system over distance. The WiPower system uses directed and controlled
magnetic fields
A magnetic field is a vector field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials. A moving charge in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to its own velocity and to ...
to replace traditional power cords. To do this, the transmitter utilizes one or more primary windings in order to induce an even magnetic field above its surface. A receiver in the magnetic field uses a secondary winding which captures the magnetic energy and converts it back to
electrical energy
Electrical energy is energy related to forces on electrically charged particles and the movement of electrically charged particles (often electrons in wires, but not always). This energy is supplied by the combination of electric current and electr ...
.
WiPower's system was based on modified coreless inductive technology and dynamically adjusts power supplied by the transmitter to power demanded by the receiver without the need for control systems or communication. As such, the company's technology represents a simpler design versus alternate wireless power solutions. The system is capable of supplying power to multiple receivers simultaneously that are placed on top of the transmitter in any position or orientation, and the company has reported DC to DC efficiencies between 60 and 90%.
These technologies were combined in a backwards compatible manner with Intel and Qualcomm's wireless power over distance technologies to be standardised by the Alliance For Wireless Power.
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday (; 22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic inducti ...
's
electromagnetic induction
Electromagnetic or magnetic induction is the production of an electromotive force (emf) across an electrical conductor in a changing magnetic field.
Michael Faraday is generally credited with the discovery of induction in 1831, and James Clerk ...
principles of 1831, have seen many applications, from electronic toothbrushes to HP's smartphones based on webOS.
Founded in 2004, WiPower emerged from the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
when founder Ryan Tseng began exploring the technology and developed a prototype. Over the following three years, the company continued research and development with the University of Florida, ultimately creating the current technology.
WiPower received coverage in the media, such as ''
Fast Company
''Fast Company'' is a monthly American business magazine published in print and online that focuses on technology, business, and design. It publishes six print issues per year.
History
''Fast Company'' was launched in November 1995 by Alan Web ...
'' magazine and the ''New York Times'', and was featured on television shows, such as NBC's ''
Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
'' and CNBC's ''
Power Lunch
''Power Lunch'' is a television business news program on CNBC, airing between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Eastern Time. It is presented by Tyler Mathisen, Melissa Lee, and Kelly Evans.
History
Bill Griffeth anchored the program alone from 1996 to 2002 ...
''
Acquisition and standards body formed
WiPower was acquired by Qualcomm in September 2010. The Alliance For Wireless Power was formed with major components suppliers in 2012, with Intel joining in 2013.
In 2015 the organization was merged with the
Power Matters Alliance
Power Matters Alliance (PMA) was a global, not-for-profit, industry organization whose mission was to advance a suite of standards and protocols for wireless power transfer for mobile electronic devices (specifically a type of inductive charging t ...
Qi (standard)
Qi (pronounced ; from the Chinese word 气 qi; traditional Chinese: 氣) is an open interface standard that defines wireless power transfer using inductive charging over distances of up to 4 cm (1.6 inches). It is developed by the Wirele ...
*
Open Dots JVIS is an automotive electronics and accessories supplier based in Michigan.
Open Dots
Open Dots is a conductive charging specification that was promoted by the Open Dots Alliance, a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, which was formed by JVIS ...
open standard for wire-free power by the Open Dots Alliance