Wireless charging technology comes to mobile phones

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Jan. 29, 2008

MWG has announced that by mid-year, it will ship Windows Mobile phones that can be charged wirelessly, via magnetic induction. The technology, conceptually similar to that already used in portable toothbrushes, will be provided by U.K.-based Splashpower, according to the companies.

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Initially used in electric toothbrushes because of their constant exposure to water, inductive power sends current obtained from a wall adapter through a coil in a charging unit. As current flows through the coil, it generates a magnetic field, which in turn induces a current to flow to the receiving coil in the toothbrush handle.

MWG appears to be the first company to employ inductive charging in a mobile phone. To charge one of MWG's new phones, the user will simply place it on a charging plate similar to the one pictured above, according to Splashpower.

In addition to freeing consumers from using power cables, Splashpower's magnetic induction technology is touted as enabling multiple devices to get their fix of electrons from a single charger. Another touted advantage is short charging time, thanks to high-efficiency energy transfer.

Splashpower says its inductive charger can deliver up to 850mA of current, at up to 8.5 Volts. The product is said to include "legitimate device detection to prevent charger misuse." It will not erase magnetic media, produce radio interference (RFI), or interfere with sensitive equipment such as pacemakers, the company says.

Early versions of the technology demonstrated by Splashpower used external power receivers. Although not specifically confirmed in MWG's release, the power receiver in the company's upcoming phones will presumably be internal. Splashpower cites the real estate required by its receiver design as 1 x 0.2 x 0.1 inches.

MWG's Zinc II (left) and Atom Life (right)
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Previously known as O2 Asia, MWG recently began releasing mobile phones under its own name, and announced plans to begin selling them in the United States. Its recent models include the GPS-equipped Zinc II (above left), and Atom Life (above right), which has an FM receiver.

Meanwhile, another vendor promulgating magnetic induction for mobile phones and other devices is Fulton Technology. Like Splashpower, it staged demonstrations at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this month. Fulton says its "eCoupled" system will work with a variety of devices, gauging their power needs and automatically turning off once batteries are charged.

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