Technology - How PowerBeam works:
How PowerBeaming Works
At one end, electricity is turned into optical energy. That energy is then pointed at a receiver and turned back into electricity. Whatever device is attached to the reciever is power without any wires!
Optical transmitter description
The transmitter consists of variable number of laser diodes, computer controls, and safety electronics. The size of the transmitter depends on how much power you want to transmit. Each laser diode is capable of operating CW at 1W-5W. Current wall plug efficiencies are 30 percent to 60 percent, depending on your application. The beams are intentionally spread for safety such that the power density averages 1mW/mm2 to 10mW/mm2.
Reciever description
The receiver consists of several photovoltaic detectors, lenses, and electronics for handshaking, safety, and power conversion. The detector has a low-power NIR to create a back channel to the transmitter. This back channel is used for handshaking and safety. The detector is designed to be physically easy to recognize by a transmitter that is constantly looking to acquire a target to charge.
In between the Transmitter and the Receiver
PowerBeam uses invisible, Infra Red laser diodes to turn the electricity into optical energy that can not be detected in an everyday setting – similar to your common remote control. Because the energy is invisible, one can mount the PowerBeam system in any location in a home or building and it will not affect the aesthetics of a room. In fact, unless you are looking for the system, you will not even know it is there.
Range
PowerBeam operates at a wave length which is 1400nm or greater. These waves create the beam. The beam is collimated giving us the ability to achieve great distances without loss in power or efficiency. Whether your device is one meter away or 100 meters away, it can still be powered by PowerBeam without any limitation on power density or application performance.
Safety considerations
The most innovative and important part of the PowerBeam solution is our safety system. PowerBeam’s patent-pending safety system uses a series of techniques to be certain that human exposure remains well below FDA safety requirements. If a person or animal attempts to break the beam, the beam is shut off immediately and the power transfer ceases. A backup battery kicks in to power the devices while the path is interrupted. Additionally, a series of other safety methods assure that no light will be reflected to an unacceptable direction and will only be absorbed by the receiver.
Efficiency considerations
Efficiency is another trend that will continue to make PowerBeam increasingly useful for more higher-power applications. Detectors are very efficient, usually 40% - 50%. Lasers diodes are 30% to 60%, depending on the application. There is little conversion loss, as the output is DC. As a result, one can expect wall-plug efficiencies anywhere from 15% - 30%, depending on the application. The near-term limit of improvement is 35%. This is highly efficient compared to light bulbs and motors.
Extensibility
Wireless electricity is a platform technology which is at the dawn of a wireless revolution. You can use it in many ways to deliver power to just about any device. Like other platform technologies, it shares two characteristics. First, its costs reduce and efficiencies improve over time and with volume. Second, it evolves over time to be used for things never imagined at the start. This is truly a product that will transform not only the way we currently transmit power to devices but also leads to the advancements of technologies we have never dreamed of before!
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