Mark Wright’s Blog

Imagine being able to charge your laptop computer, cell phone or other device without having to plug into an electrical socket.  If you can imagine it, then the ability is not that far away.

Researchers with the Intel Corporation were recently able to power a 60 watt light bulb from an energy source three feet away.  Wireless power transmission could later even be used to power pacemakers and artificial hearts.  Amazing.

This is of particular interest to me because I have a lot of gadgets.  I use my laptop at home and out and about to get work done.  I also spend a significant amount of time on my cell phone.  My Ipod is also never very far away.  I need these things to do my job.  However in the process, I have more cables, cords and plugs than an electric company.  What is even worse, I can never find those bad boys when I need them.  I am constantly losing them.  A particular incident which occurred in the Atlanta airport last year comes to mind.  My cell phone was dying.  I was potentially stuck in Atlanta overnight and I am trying to make arrangements.  I lost my charger so I had to buy one from one of the shops in the airport.  Now I am about $40 broker but at least I have a charger.  Now I have to find a place to plug it in.  No problem right.  This is one of the biggest airports in the U.S.  They should have plenty of places right?  Wrong!  I finally found a place to plug it in which needless to say was not optimum.  Between having people walk between my seat and the plug and having to guard my phone to prevent theft, it was the cherry on a rotten sundae. 

I have thought of having the ability to charge devices wirelessly.  If they can have wireless internet, they can have wireless power.  It would make sense to me.  Fourtunately there are people out there with bigger brain pans than mine who might be able to make this a reality.