Wireless electricity

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Finally! (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/wireless-0607.html) The article does a good job of making the concept clear.

I loved the end of the article, too -
As for what the future holds, Soljacic adds, "Once, when my son was about three years old, we visited his grandparents' house. They had a 20-year-old phone and my son picked up the handset, asking, 'Dad, why is this phone attached with a cord to the wall?' That is the mindset of a child growing up in a wireless world. My best response was, 'It is strange and awkward, isn't it? Hopefully, we will be getting rid of some more wires, and also batteries, soon.'"

[blueerica]

I think I was just watching something about this on TV not too long ago... now I'm just trying to remember where it was I caught it.

[Alex]

Pretty cool. Three comments/questions.

1) How can you talk about wireless electricity without even a shout out to Tesla. That man was a kook in his later years but he had big ideas.

Then two comments on this paragraph:

Magnetic coupling is particularly suitable for everyday applications because most common materials interact only very weakly with magnetic fields, so interactions with extraneous environmental objects are suppressed even further. "The fact that magnetic fields interact so weakly with biological organisms is also important for safety considerations," Kurs, a graduate student in physics, points out.1. If you've been intrigued by those "magnetic healing bracelets" sold via infomercial. Keep in mind that bold paragraph.

2. While biological entities don't interact strongly with magnetic fields, electrical and other magnetic systems do. I know it is maxed on certain frequencies but what kind of re-engineering (if any) of all the other electrical/magnetic things in our homes would be required?

[Capt Jack]

Im thinking the re-engineering would be pretty substantial considering what particular items are sensitive to EM fields and what appliances actually make up our day to day life nowadays. computers, cell's, pace makers...etc.


btw, I think this was mentioned in the RocketBoom link GD posted yesterday...(which I found totally entertaining, btw)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Perhaps. But at the same time, those are pretty well understood factors so I'd imagine any attempt to productize this concept would try to take that into account. Afterall, one could have said the same thing about cell phones, and yet the technology does a pretty good job of being functional without interfering with prior existing technology (except computer speakers, cell phones freak those the heck out).

[Alex]

But cell phones operate at a much higher frequency than standard electronics.

I've no doubt they're surmountable, I'd just be interested in seeing a discussion of it and an explanation if it isn't a problem.

[Stan4dSteph]

What about the interaction of birds with magnetic fields? Also, I've heard one theory about declining bee populations being potentially linked to increased EMFs from cell phone towers.

[Alex]

The EMF vs. bees thing has been pretty thoroughly debunked. Don't have time to find it but a study that had nothing to do with bees and EMF was misinterpreted by a journalist who wrote a short story which was then picked up and thoroughly distorted by the mainstream press.

ETA: Remembered where I read it (http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mvanishingbees.htm).

[Ghoulish Delight]

What about the interaction of birds with magnetic fields? At least for initial applications, I've been hearing it in terms of short-range stuff. Some sort of transmitter with a range of a few feet for charging devices or powering a lamp. That much shouldn't be of particular consequences to birds.

[AllyOops!]

1) How can you talk about wireless electricity without even a shout out to Tesla. That man was a kook in his later years but he had big ideas.

Okay, I'll do it:

Nikola, you were 'da mutherf*ckin' dawg, bro!

I think that's an appropriate shout-out, no? ;)

I work in the electrical field so this Thread caught my eye. I'll save my two cents, however. I like to post about non-work related stuff. That and I would have to hassle my Boss for a mind-blowing post. ;)

[blueerica]

Ummm... I'd like to give a shout out to Tesla in Santa Ana who.. uh..

Ally, you crack me up!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

btw, I think this was mentioned in the RocketBoom link GD posted yesterday...(which I found totally entertaining, btw)Which is where I got the link, of course. :D Rocketboom rules.

[Gemini Cricket]

Wireless electricity? It's strange and unfamiliar to me. I'm against it.
Back in my day, we didn't need no wireless electricity. A good shock from a faulty plug reminded us that we were still alive! Daggummit.
:D