Pretty darn cool.
Posted on 06/16/2009 3:56:34 PM PDT by mgstarr
Pardon the cliche, but it's one of the holiest of Holy Grails of technology: Wireless power. And while early lab experiments have been able to "beam" electricity a few feet to power a light bulb, the day when our laptops and cell phones can charge without having to plug them in to a wall socket still seems decades in the future.
Nokia, however, has taken another baby step in that direction with the invention of a cell phone that recharges itself using a unique system: It harvests ambient radio waves from the air, and turns that energy into usable power. While "traditional" (if there is such a thing) wireless power systems are specifically designed with a transmitter and receiver in mind, Nokia's system isn't finicky about where it gets its wireless waves. TV, radio, other mobile phone systems -- all of this stuff just bounces around the air and most of it is wasted, absorbed into the environment or scattered into the ether. - snip - A huge range of frequencies can be utilized by the system (there's no other way, really, as the energy in any given wave is infinitesimal). It's the same idea that Tesla was exploring 100 years ago, just on a tiny scale. - snip -.
Currently Nokia is able to harvest all of 5 milliwatts from the air; the goal is to increase that to 20 milliwatts in the short term and 50 milliwatts down the line. That wouldn't be enough to keep the phone alive during an active call, but would be enough to slowly recharge the cell phone battery while it's in standby mode, theoretically offering infinite power -- provided you're not stuck deep underground where radio waves can't penetrate. Nokia says it hopes to commercialize the technology in three to five years.
(Excerpt) Read more at tech.yahoo.com ...
Nikola Tesla beat Nokia to it by about 80 years.
Yes, that is cool
And you just beat me to making that post!
It really would be pretty cool to have my battery constantly charging when in standby.
It still wouldn't help those endlessly chatting young girls I see in their cars.
I don’t think Tesla actually ever did it for any distance but he always claimed he could beam power all around the globe without wires.
IIRC, he stopped after a big explosion in Tunguska, Siberia...
even without the schmancy charging trick, that phone is wicked cool looking.
He stopped when the Wardenclyffe tower on LI was destroyed by his financial backer, JP Morgan, who came to the realization that one cannot meter wireless electricity.
>>Nikola Tesla beat Nokia to it by about 80 years.<<
So, is that a Tesla coil in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?
Realizing Teslsa’s idea is one heck of an accomplishment.
Tesla was an amazing visionary. Imagine what he could have achieved if his funding didn’t dry up.
Interesting. I figured it would be based on kinetic energy like those Seiko watches, but this is way cooler.
>>Imagine what he could have achieved if his funding didn’t dry up.<<
We would probably have our flying cars.
I was just noting that this is still a heck of a technological push forward and should not be diminished because Tesla didn’t have the facilities we have now.
And I concur completely. Tesla has long been one of my favorite scientists.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.