author: Bart Swiatek
Xiaomi Unveils Revolutionary Wireless Charging
Chinese company Xiaomi revealed its new technology - the so-called Mi Air Charge allows for wireless charging of devices up to several meters from the charger.
IN A NUTSHELL:
- Xiaomi has created a technology to charge devices remotely;
- The system will operate within a few meters of the charger and is expected to be able to provide 5 watts of power to several devices simultaneously.
Xiaomi unveiled the Mi Air Charge wireless charging technology, which enables us to charge our smartphone from a distance and could become a real breakthrough. It is enough that the device will be within a few meters from the power source (importantly, there may be other objects in the way).
Based on a system of numerous small antennas (144 on the charger and another 14 in the smartphone or other gadget), the system will be able to locate the charged device and, thanks to the so-called beam forming, transmit millimeter waves to it, which after receception will be converted into electricity. Somewhat reminiscent of an air freshener, the charger will be able to provide the device with 5 watts of power, and it will be possible to charge several devices at once.
It seems that Xiaomi has a chance to be the first company that will actually introduce working remote charging technology to the market (it is worth noting that the idea itself is nothing new - it appeared already in 2015). Time will tell if this will actually happen, because a similar solution is also being worked on by Motorola, which announced it shortly after the announcement of the Chinese company. However, in the case of this company's technology, we will probably have to reckon with more restrictions - the distance between the device and the charger is to be limited to 80-100 cm and, unlike Mi Air Charge, charging will be prevented by obstacles.
Unfortunately, the Chinese manufacturer so far has not communicated when the first devices supporting Mi Air Charge will hit the market.