In recent years, technological innovation has brought us wireless charging, an inconspicuous yet convenient technology that is becoming more and more adapted to our daily lives. But have you ever wondered how it actually works, beyond the simple act of placing your phone on a charging platform? Interestingly, the origins of this groundbreaking technology actually date back to over a century ago.
Origin
In 1897, shortly after pioneer Nikola Tesla invented the AC system, he demonstrated a concept known as resonant magnetic coupling. It involves the transmission of electricity wirelessly between two coils through bonding in a magnetic field. The technology is based on the principles of electromagnetic radiation discovered by an earlier scientist: Michael Faraday. This finding contributed to one of his famous unfinished projects, the Wardenclyffe Tower, whilst also paving the basic concepts of wireless charging in the future.
More about the Wardenclyffe Tower can be found here.
Wireless Charging in Modern Days
In the modern era, there are 2 types of wireless chargers on the market: inductive charging and resonant charging.
Inductive charging involves your phone being directly aligned with the charger, generally connected with a magnet. This also means that the transmitting coil (the charger) and the receiving coil (your device) need to be physical for function. Conversely, resonant charging allows electromagnetic induction without the 2 ends to be physically touching while only required to be in the same magnetic field.
Both inductive and resonant charging have their pros and cons. For example, inductive allows the charger to be magnetically attached to your device, reducing risk of disconnection and minimising power loss. On the other hand, resonant charging allows for more spatial freedom whilst being limited in terms of the available proximity between the charger and the device.
Future of Wireless Charging
In conclusion, wireless charging is an innovative technology that is quickly evolving in the modern age. By removing the limitations of wires, the technology helps create efficiency, cleanliness, and convenience. Furthermore, the technology could also be adopted into various fields and industries such as vehicles, medicine, or even fashion in creating more convenient wire-free products, having the potential to revolutionise far more fields and industries.
Works Cited
Belkin: US. (n.d.). How does Wireless Charging works. [online] Available at: https://www.belkin.com/products/product-resources/wireless-charging/how-it-works/ [Accessed 23 Dec. 2023].
Mearian, L. (2018). Wireless charging explained: What is it and how does it work? [online] Computerworld. Available at: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3235176/wireless-charging-explained-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work.html [Accessed 24 Dec. 2023].
Wikipedia Contributors (2019a). Inductive charging. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging [Accessed 24 Dec. 2023].
Wikipedia Contributors (2019b). Resonant inductive coupling. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonant_inductive_coupling [Accessed 24 Dec. 2023].
Wikipedia Contributors (2019c). Wardenclyffe Tower. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardenclyffe_Tower [Accessed 23 Dec. 2023].
Britannica. (n.d.). Generation of wireless power from magnetic field explained | Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/video/160157/use-magnetic-fields-current [Accessed 24 Dec. 2023].
TECHtalk. (2019). How wireless charging works. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jaGeYXJKgE [Accessed 24 Dec. 2023].
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