Xiaomi has just announced its own remote wireless charging system: Mi Air Charge. That is to say that neither cables nor a charging base are necessary, but the charging process happens remotely, at a distance of “several meters”, and with a power of 5W, according to the company.
Also, Xiaomi claims that this technology is capable of charging multiple devices at the same time with a power of 5W and that “even physical obstacles do not reduce the charging efficiency”. Admittedly, this is not too high a speed, but it is a small big step forward. The company has not confirmed they will implement this technology in a cell phone soon, but it has given details of how it works.
Antennas Everywhere
Xiaomi explains that the core of this technology is based on spatial positioning and power transmission. The charging station developed by the brand has five phase interference antennas that “can accurately detect the smartphone’s location.” Once its location has been detected, a series of 144 antennas transmit millimeter waves to the phone by forming beams.
This is of no use if the smartphone does not have a receiving system, of course. Xiaomi has therefore, developed a “miniaturized antenna array” with a beacon antenna and a series of 14 integrated receiving antennas. The first transmits position information “with low power consumption”. The latter converts the millimeter-wave signal into electrical energy through a rectifier circuit.
Xiaomi converts millimeter waves into electrical energy. According to Xiaomi, its technology is currently capable of remotely charging multiple devices at once with five watts of power within a five-meter radius. That’s not the fastest charging speed in the world, but it is a most interesting figure for such a nascent technology.
While Mi Air Charge makes a lot of sense for cell phones, as it might be able to charge the phone if left on the table, for example, the Chinese company explains that it will be able to work with smartwatches, wristbands, and other wearables. Xiaomi imagines a future in which all speakers, desk lamps, and other small IoT devices will work wirelessly. However, it is worth remembering that at the moment, this technology is a promise and not a commercial product, so better to wait for the company to launch it, if ever.
Motorola also shows their worth
Xiaomi is not the only manufacturer that has shown off its remote wireless charging technology. Motorola has also shared on Weibo a video showing off its technology. From what we have been able to see, the system is less complex than Xiaomi’s.
This consists of a kind of charger device that is placed on the table. For it to work, the mobile has to be in a straight line to the charger, that is, right in front of it, and at a distance of no more than one meter.
It seems that it can be used with several devices at the same time, but Motorola has not disclosed the charging speed. Besides, unlike what Xiaomi promises, for Motorola’s technology, it seems that obstacles are a problem because putting your hand between the charging base and the cell phone stops the charging process.
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