Future Technologies
UPDATE: Ambient power
By JBC on 10 June 2009
GLOBAL – The folks at Nokia Research Centre have come up with a new source of power for mobile devices – ambient radio waves. Using the electromagnetic radiation emitted from WiFi transmitters, mobile phone antennas, TV masts and the like, the team are already harvesting 3-5 milliwatts using current prototypes test circuits. [UPDATE 11jun09: Sorry folks, these are research test set-ups not product protos. Changed the word so as not to perpetuate the confusion in the original article. - CS]. The target is to hit 50 milliwatts, which would be enough to (eventually) re-juice a phone that is switched off.
Reported in the MIT Technology Review, NRC researcher Markku Rouvala talks about how the system works. Basically it’s based on the same idea as an RFID tag, converting electromagnetic waves into an electrical signal. The focus of the research team’s work is on increasing the range of frequencies that can be harvested. By focusing on everything from 500 megahertz to 10 gigahertz they expect to increase the chances of getting enough juice.
MIT Technology review highlights that such technologies have only previously been found in very niche applications. If successful, and deployed, this could be one of the first consumer applications. However, it is early stages and the challenge to the NRC team is a big one, with many believing it hugely difficult, or impossible.
I reckon if it’s possible, then it’d be something pretty spectacular. The notion that you could just put your phone down and it’d be charging itself would be pretty awesome. What do you think?
[UPDATE 11jun09 - There's been a gross misunderstanding that this tech will soon be going into a phone or what not. Folks, this is just a research project and not a product program and there is no indication that there is or is not coming into a future product (we wouldn't really tell you anyway). Keep in mind that we do a ton of research to explore potential new tech. This is one of them. - CS]
Related posts:
- Dabbling in alchemy in pursuit of greater performance with less power
- The great indoors (UPDATE: New video)
- Nokia and open innovation
Tags | NRC
June 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
This is the kind of energy use that mobile devices should foster all over; I like the idea and look forward to the first applications of this.
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June 10th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Right these waves that are in the air, they aren’t meant to be good for us right in large quantities?
We’re going to have a phone that sucks all of these to a phone that sits in our pockets on our left or right leg… Maybe I’m being a bit cautious but you sure this will not harm the consumer in any way?
Carl
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Charlie Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 9:17 am
@Carl – NokiApp.com, This is a research project not a product program. I suppose safety issue will be worked out as the research progresses.
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June 12th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
This story is ridiculous and has not been properly corrected by Nokia. You would need to be just one metre away from a 10W transmitter for this level of power. If this level of RF energy is around we are all in trouble. Why does Nokia put out such nonsesnse if it is trying to create an image of technical leadership? Does anyone at Nokia have an understanding of basic physics?
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Charlie Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 7:19 am
@roy,
I asked around and found out that you already have been talking to the folks involved in this research.
We’d like to re-iterate that the numbers referred to related to specific laboratory conditions. We also already mentioned to you previously that claims of a prototype were inaccurate and figures reported elsewhere were taken out of context. As you know, the power that can be harvested depends upon a number of factors including the design of the harvesting antenna, the distance from the source of RF emission and the power radiated by that source. Tests in the laboratory have shown that 2-5 mW can be harvested when in very close proximity to RF sources. The larger numbers quoted (50 mW) are typical figures for the power consumption of mobile devices when in standby mode and thus show what would be meaningful for device operation.
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roy Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
@Charlie,
Thanks for this reply. I accept what you say but I just wish Nokia would take a more responsible attitude to the need to correct the story and publicise the facts in your response. The story continues to spread like wildfire and is completely misleading.
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June 17th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Lets use our body for the remaining 50 mW
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June 20th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but all that “harvesting” of “free energy in the air” is essentially stealing it from the respective source, that either radiates it on purpose (to serve radio terminals) or as inevitable leak and does not expect any other “sink”. Charging “off the air” is very much the same as connecting to someone else’s power outlet and call it free just because you don’t pay that bill.
It is very much possible now to power up a small house by “harvesting” electromagnetic emissions right under an interstate power line. It would not cost a thing, though sooner or later power grid guys will start wondering about abnormal power leak and come after you.
Charging one phone at expense of others? What is the point?
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