Wireless charging over distance

What is Wireless Charging?

Wireless charging is a technology that allows charging over (very) short distances without cables.

The advantage of wireless charging is that it’s quicker and easier, as you don’t have to plug and unplug each time – you just place your device on top of your wireless charging pad. It also looks neater.

There are various competing standards for wireless charging. The most popular is Qi (pronounced ‘chee’), which has been supported by all of the major companies. Apple have included wireless charging on their latest iPhone models, and Samsung have done that for years; they’ve also made a wide range of Samsung wireless chargers that work with all phones with Qi wireless charging built in.

Wireless charging over distance up to 15 feet 

Companies developing wireless charging that can be projected up to several meters away have partnered with electronics industry stalwarts, paving the way for actual product shipments this year.

Wireless charging at distance company Ossia has partnered with electronics manufacturer Molex to boost development of its first products, which it said should be available this year.

Unlike today's most popular wireless chargers, which require devices to rest on a charging pad, Ossia is among several companies developing trickle charging capability at distances of many feet. Some of these technologies, also known as "uncoupled wireless charging" can even charge through walls, or simply top off a device as you enter a room.

Ossia's Cota technology uses radio frequency (RF) to send power and data over distances greater than 15 feet. Cota Transmitters can link to charge dozens of mobile devices within a several meter radius, and the transmitters come in multiple form factors, including a drop ceiling tile.

By linking two Cota ceiling tiles, the system can power mobile devices in a typical coffee shop, office or other crowded spaces, the company claims.

The company has also developed AA batteries that can receive a wireless charge.

In 2013, after six years in development, Ossia unveiled the first of its Cota wireless charging prototypes, a small dongle for smartphone charging; at the time, the company said its technology would be available to consumers and enterprises by 2015. That didn't happen.

Now, Ossia claims that through its new partnership with Molex it should have a product to market by the second half of this year, according to Jennifer Grenz, vice president of marketing at Ossia. Molex, an 80-year-old manufacturer based in Illinois, helped develop the first car radio, the first cell phone and the first HDTV.