YouTube creator DIY Perks has partnered with startup Etherdyne Technologies to create a true wireless power system on a four-foot by two-foot desk, allowing him to run a complete workstation with its associated accessories without any cables. You can see in the YouTube video that he’s running a wireless mouse, a wireless keyboard, true wireless stereo speakers, a wireless microphone, and even a wireless monitor —all powered by a flexible wire loop that generates up to 100 watts of wireless power.
According to Matthew Perks, the person behind the YouTube channel, Etherdyne’s Wire-Free Power Zone kit works similarly to the wireless chargers most phones have. These wireless chargers generate an alternating electromagnetic field with a frequency between 110 and 205 kHz, which is enough to produce around 15 watts of power.
But because its frequency is so low, your device must be so close to the wireless charger that it will only work efficiently if the coils are perfectly aligned with each other. They also need to be in proximity, so much so that they’re practically touching each other’s surfaces.
On the other hand, Etherdyne’s solution has a transmission frequency of 6.78 MHz, allowing it to deliver up to 100 watts of power at distances of up to three feet. You also don’t have to align the coils perfectly to achieve wireless power transmission — as long as it’s within the range of the ‘power dome’, your devices will reliably get enough power, depending on the power coil you use.
To prove that the peripherals he’s using aren’t secretly battery-powered, Perks removed the battery from his wireless mouse and replaced it with the wireless power receiving loop. He also built the stereo speakers, a heated mug, and the wireless microphone from 3D printed and spare parts — all of which are powered wirelessly. He also modified a 24-inch monitor by building a custom base that integrated two 7-watt power loops. This allowed him to ditch the monitor’s power cord entirely, and he then used a wireless HDMI receiver to connect it to a Framework that’s built directly into the desk.
The DIY Perks is an excellent demonstration of the possibilities of Etherdyne Technologies’ Wire-Free Power Zone tech. Unfortunately, it’s not yet commercially available, although you can request an Evaluation Kit from the Etherdyne website if you’re interested in experimenting with it. Some users might also have some health concerns about the amount of radio frequency the wireless tech is pushing out, but the company claims that its Eval Kit has already received FCC and CE certification, so it likely complies with safety regulations.
But if you want to try the wireless power tech for yourself without going through all the trouble of building your own desk, you can purchase the AirBrite Universal Wireless Lighting System, which uses the same technology to deliver lighting solutions to miniature builds. It’s also planning to launch a Kickstarter for a sit/stand desk that implements the technology similar to how Perks does it.
Aside from these consumer applications, the company also highlighted commercial, industrial, and medical applications for its technology. These are promising applications for such an innovative technology, and it could even be the next step towards true wireless power. Etherdyne also isn’t the first company to experiment with this, with researchers able to harvest low amounts of energy from radio and Wi-Fi. Still, the claimed 100-watt capacity of the Wire-Free Power Zone technology could be the game changer for wireless charging and power.
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