Smartphone Case Recharges Your Phone Via Radio Waves

Companies like uBeam are trying to create wireless charging that relies on ultrasonic technology to charge your phone, thus in the process creating a “true” wireless charging feature that will not require phones to sit on wireless charging mats. Now if you’re looking for alternatives, Nikola Labs co-founder Dr. Rob Lee might have the solution for you.

Instead of using a transmitter and ultrasonic power to charge your phones, Nikola Labs’ technology will instead rely on stray radio waves to help slowly recharge your phone through a specially-designed case. The idea is that instead of allowing radio frequencies to be “wasted”, why not harness it and use it to charge our phones in the process?

Sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? However it isn’t exactly ideal as this only allows phones to be charged to about 30%, and even then it takes a long time. However the idea is that this is a passive process that allows your phone to be continuously charged so that battery drain isn’t as fast as it is, especially during moments when your phone is idle.

Now there is some skepticism surrounding the technology, but Dr. Rob Lee’s reputation as the former chair of Ohio State’s Electrical and Computer Engineering does lend the project some credibility. No word on when we might see the prototype become an actual consumer product, but for fans of wireless charging hopefully it will be soon.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gadgets
Tags: wireless charging