Industry:
The Wireless Power Industry is just in the beginnings of what is undeniable an extremely large opportunity. Just in the US alone, the Consumer Electronics Industry is a $170 Billion market. It is called the Electronics Industry because every product in that industry requires electricity to work. Considering all things electronic need power, wireless power is destined to create an industry with in extraordinary large market cap. This is unique in the world. Most companies enter into an established market with a clear understanding of the industry. In the case of wireless power, the technology is creating the industry and will prove to be as successful as other technologies that have created their own market. For example, the Automobile Industry, the Aerospace Industry, the Computer Industry and even the Cell Phone Industry.
Other Technological Approaches:
All other technological approaches to wireless electricity are quasi omni-directional. However, there is a fundamental drawback to these approaches – The Inverse-Square Law. This law states that to achieve the same power level at twice the distance one needs to input four times as much energy at the source. This makes any technology that is omni-technology subject to drastic power loss and efficiency loss at great distances.
Magnetic Resonance: Employs near field inductive coupling through magnetic fields, which interact far more weakly with surrounding objects, including biological tissue. It is not known exactly why this technology had not been developed. Researchers attribute it to various reasons ranging from the limitations of well-known physical laws, to simply a lack of need.
Inductive Coupling: The action of an electrical transformer is the simplest instance of wireless energy transfer. The primary and secondary circuits of a transformer are not directly connected. The transfer of energy takes place by electromagnetic coupling through a process known as mutual induction.
Radio Frequency (RF): A transmitter broadcasts a low-power radio (RF) signal at a specific frequency across several feet of empty space. A receiver built into one or more remote devices captures enough energy to continuously recharge batteries, or to power devices directly.
Microwave: Wireless Power Transmission (using microwaves) is well proven. Experiments in the tens of kilowatts have been performed at Goldstone in California in 1975 and more recently (1997) at Grand Bassin on Reunion Island. These methods achieve distances on the order of a kilometer.
Power Beam Competition:
NASA has a great interest in the Power Beam concept for both terrestrial and space based applications. As part of their Centennial Challenges, NASA sponsors The Spaceward Foundation which manages the Power Beaming (Climber) Competition. The purpose of this competition is to power the Space Elevator from the surface of the earth allowing it to be powered continuously as it ascends into outer space.
This is a great example of more worldly applications for wireless power technology and is a testament to just how versatile this technology can be. For more info, please click here.
In the beginning:
Nikola Tesla is the godfather of wireless power. A genius before his time, he invented such technology as wireless communication (radio), AC electrical distribution and wireless power back in the early 20th Century. While developing technology for wireless electricity, his funding was unexpectedly taken away when his investors learned he wish to provide the electricity for free. If not for the greed of his financial backers, we would have wireless power today. This is an great injustice inflicted on the world and we at PowerBeam seek to remedy this injustice.
More Info on Tesla:
Wikipedia
Videos
ScienceStage
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