Intel Researchers optimize Wireless Resonant Energy Link Technology to transmit power without cables.
Energy thru the air: Intel’s researchers make progress in transmitting energy wirelessly. The Wireless Resonant Energy Link Technology (WREL) now allows a stable transmission of electrical power to moving receivers. These can be at almost any orientation with respect to the source and be as far as 70cm away.
The everyday power cord and power supply mess on many desks today could soon come to an end: WREL can transmit electrical power wirelessly. To achieve this, electrical current is sent through a coil at the source end and the resulting magnetic field resonates at a specific frequency. At this frequency the WREL receiving coil can pick up the energy and deliver it to the device that needs power.
Intel's WREL Demo in action - a 60W light bulb lights up with no cables attached
Intel first showed working WREL in 2008: Intel’s senior fellow and chief technology officer, Justin Rattner, demonstrated an illuminated 60W light bulb without any cables attached on stage at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF). Since then Intel also showed how WREL can power a netbook without batteries or get a speaker to play music without cables.
At Research@Intel in Mountain View, California Intel researchers from Intel Labs Seattle showed that they can now move the receiver around in the “magic zone“ (that is, 70cm around the WREL-sender). A special tracking algorithm ensures a constant power level. Additionally, the receiver doesn’t need to be aligned parallel to the sender anymore. Adaptive autro-tuning algorithms now allow the sender and receiver coil to stand in an angle of up to 70 degrees while the efficiency of the transmission will remain steady at 70 percent.
There is a wide range of potential future applications for WREL. For example, WREL senders integrated into desks could charge mobile devices like phones and laptops automatically. Pacemakers could get their energy thru WREL and hereby make subcutaneous wires obsolete. Remote controls, Bluetooth headsets or keyboard and mice are also devices that would greatly benefit from wireless power.
[NOTE: There is a high resolution image attached to this - see below]