What is Wireless Charging? How does it Work?

Wireless charging is the process of electrically charging battery-powered gadgets and equipment without the need for a wired electrical power connection. It Enables the wireless transfer of electrical charge from a charger or node to the receiving device. Wireless charging is also known as inductive charging, although it is one of the wireless charging options / techniques. 
Wireless charging is also known as inductive charging which uses electromagnetic waves to transfer energy and charge devices wirelessly. Inductive charging requires the device to be placed on a conductive charging pad/equipment, which is directly connected to a wall socket. It is mainly used to charge small hand-held devices such as, smartphones, PDAs and mobile phones.

How does wireless charging work?

  • It uses electromagnetic induction to wirelessly transfer energy between a wireless charger and a device that can be wirelessly charged. For convenience, there is a coil in the wireless charger and one in the receiver. 
  • When the magnetic receiving plate of the mobile device touches the transmitter or at least within the specified range, the magnetic field in the device generates an electric current. 
  • This current is then converted into direct current (DC), which in turn charges the built-in battery.

Who Discovered Wireless Charging?

Contrary to popular belief, Fonesalesman didn’t invent wireless charging. Nikola Tesla was the first to experiment with wireless power transmission in the early 20th century, and he did more than anyone to bring the idea of wireless charging to the masses. In 1891, he experimented with inductive and capacitive coupling power transmission using spark-excited high-frequency resonance transformers, now called Tesla coils, which generated high AC voltages. 
Fast forward to 2008 when radio and microwave technology was at the heart of households around the world. This year, a small group of manufacturers including Logitech, Philips, Sanyo and Texas Instruments teamed up to form the Wireless Power Consortium in 2009, the WPC published the first specification of the Qi 1.0, the first official open standard for wireless Charging devices with low power consumption should be. Since then, big names like Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, LG, Motorola and HTC have adopted wireless technology for charging technology with Qi.

What are the advantages of wireless charging?

  • Wireless chargers also protect your phone from damage caused by repeated connecting and disconnecting, and are more robust than charging cables which may end up showing signs of wear and tear.
  • Connecting to a wireless charger is faster and easier than plugging in cables.
  • Qi charging pads being installed in various places around the world, if you run out of juice and don’t have a cable you can still charge your phone.

Can we get wireless charging in our cars?

Many automakers offer wireless charging on certain models, but even then this is often not the standard and tends to be on more advanced models in the range. Manufacturers who use it include Audi (and the rest of the WV group), BMW, Ford, Honda, MercedesBenz, Peugeot, Toyota, and Volvo.

Is wireless charging safe?

It’s perfectly safe to have a wireless charger close by so you can charge your phone on your bedside table overnight or on your desk at work all day. It sends out a harmless signal that looks for a wireless charging receiver coil, like the one on your smartphone. Since the receiving coil (of your smartphone) has to be in contact with the coil of the charging base, the signal does not reach into the air. When your smartphone has physical contact with the charging base, the signal is sent to the receiving coil of your phone and the charging process begins. The entire wireless charging process emits less radiation than a phone connected to a cellular network.

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