WiGL, a developer of touchless wireless charging for IoT devices for wireless power networks, and Energous Corporation, a developer of RF-based intelligent wireless power networks, have announced the next phase of their partnership to develop and commercialize IoT products that will be wirelessly powered over distance (tWPT Project).
This announcement marks the second phase of the WiGL project, funded early last year by the Air Force Research Lab at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), to develop and design tWPT products for military and commercial use. The recently completed first phase of the project involved a proof-of-concept (POC) demonstration by Energous and WiGL of a tWPT network including multiple Energous PowerBridges sending power over-the-air to recharge power banks and IoT lighting devices. In the second phase of the project, Energous’ PowerBridges will continue to provide radio frequency-based (RF) wireless power over distance for WiGL’s tWPT networks.
"Our partnership with WiGL is an additional example of how Energous’ products are enabling wireless power deployment and commercialization,” said Cesar Johnston, President and CEO of Energous. “Energous has been focusing on increasing the number of IoT wireless power network POCs with an end goal to bring those to production. We are happy to see our technology empowering the creation of highly flexible IoT device designs, while simultaneously addressing the skyrocketing IT costs and environmental hazards associated with disposable batteries and charging cables. This collaboration is a significant milestone in this journey, and we are incredibly excited to embark on this next phase alongside WiGL.”
Enabling IoT devices to receive wireless power over distance helps eliminate their dependence on charging cables, open ports or battery doors, greatly reducing potential complications to their physical integrity while ensuring they are consistently and reliably charged at all times. RF-based wireless power networks, an ecosystem of technologies including transmitters and receivers that enable wireless power transmission across any distance for a wide range of applications, also lead to reduced downtime and lower maintenance costs while increasing the range of coverage and overall efficiency.
"We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of 8 out of 8 contracted tasks for the esteemed DoD, which has paved the way for our latest accomplishment of a follow-on multi-year contract. This new contract entails the design and delivery of cutting-edge over-the-air touchless Wireless Power Transfer (tWPT) capabilities to the DoD," stated Dr. Ahmad Glover, Founder of WiGL. "By combining Energous' extensive decade-long expertise in the field and regulatory know-how with WiGL's advanced networking solutions, we are poised to bring the first generation of lighting products to life; with follow-on second and third generations of tWPT products to follow. This follow-on contract from the DoD allows us to continue finalizing our inaugural product line expanding into new products and IoT applications for the future. For instance, WiGL is looking forward to launching a consumer tWPT LED lighting system this year.”
Energous PowerBridges are designed to drive transformation across the entire IoT ecosystem. These devices are designed not only to have the capability of wirelessly charging multiple devices simultaneously from a distance using RF-based wireless power but also to function as data links for connected devices, enabling them to communicate valuable data and insights back to the cloud.
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