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| SoftBank tests wireless charging technology |
Japanese mobile phone company SoftBank is about to test its technology for charging headphones, smartwatches, and other wearables while walking near a cellular base station.
Wireless power transmission equipment is installed in the 5G base station launched by the company. The government will soon ease restrictions on wireless technology to allow experiments to take place.
The company is replacing 200,000 4G base stations in Japan with 5G versions.
The wireless charging service was jointly developed by Kyoto University, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, and the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology.
The load must be transmitted in the 28 GHz radio frequency band used in 5G communications. Users can charge their mobile devices automatically as soon as they approach the base station.
In order to avoid negative effects on the human body, a power of about 1 milliwatt is transmitted within a radius of about 10 meters. Then the radius expanded to about 100 metres.
The government is currently restricting the use of this technology because wireless power transmission can interfere with communication signals.
The Ministry of Interior and Communications was supposed to issue instructions at the beginning of this fiscal year to provide multiple frequency bands for wireless charging.
The government plans to initially allow wireless charging indoors and then open the technology for outdoor use around 2024.
The experiment is about to start, and electricity is supplied to the fifth generation system.
SoftBank plans to commercialize the technology as early as 2025. The technology supports a number of applications. Including the use of electronic tags to prevent theft.
Health sensors implanted in the body may also become possible. Research and Markets estimates that the global wireless charging market could reach $15.3 billion in 2026, which is 2.3 times the current size.
The Qi standard is used to wirelessly transmit power from a dedicated charger to devices around the world.
In the US, Ossia and Powercast sell devices that use wavelengths to charge smartphones and game consoles. Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has also joined the development competition.