Wireless Battery Charging - In your car?

CarMadMike · January 8, 2009

You've probably heard of wireless battery charging technology, but soon you might just see it showing up in your car. Fulton Innovation has teamed up with Leggett & Platt to bring eCoupled Intelligent Wireless Power Technology to your mobile phone, MP3 player, radar detector or just about anything else that needs electricity.

Instead of a web of snarled power cords, the eCoupled system charges any enabled gadget resting on the power pad. As in the illustration, enabled devices resting within range of the pad would be juiced up just as if they were plugged in.

Bret Lewis, director of Fulton Innovation, gave us a demo of the eCoupled system Wednesday night. Fulton had outfitted an iPhone and a Motorola Bluetooth headset with an eCoupled coil. Lewis took the two devices, laid them on a wooden bowl and, as if by magic, the two began to charge. The only indication the bowl was anything but dead tree was an electrical cord running from the back. Underneath, the bowl had been hollowed to accommodate a metal plate with the coil inductor. The same type system could easily be incorporated into a car's console or instrument panel.

Ideally, Lewis says, gadget manufacturers would incorporate the technology into portable devices as they're designed. In the real world, of course, there are potentially billions of legacy devices that could benefit from a third-party attachment to allow the wireless batter charging.

But it gets better! Lewis says the system can also transfer data, potentially allowing wireless coupling of music players and mobile phones with you car.

We also spoke with Ross Haith Jr. of Leggett & Platt who let us in on some commercial vehicle projects they have ready to launch as soon as this year. Read about that as well as press releases from the two companies after the jump.

The thing is i hadnt heard of wireless battery charging technology, Thats why im very excited about this :D

iBilo · January 8, 2009

Thats so cool. I could go on the Internet using my laptop! =D

DriftNismo · January 8, 2009

Wow, that looks pretty nice. Looks like one of those amazing inventions that will end up being VERY expensive though, like the phone compatability with Microsoft Surface :p.

Turkey Twizzler · January 8, 2009

You've probably heard of wireless battery charging technology

FAILED!!!

But it's really strange - wireless battery charging :? That's going to be cool! I haven't heard of it though ...

Cakeflour · January 8, 2009

FAILED!!!
But it's really strange - wireless battery charging :? That's going to be cool! I haven't heard of it though ...

Lol! That's what I said when I read it. :)

You've probably heard of wireless battery charging technology

Ahh...No I haven't. XD

Anyway, it sounds cool, but like Pyjamas said, it will probably be hugely expensive.

Immelmann · January 9, 2009

I've been waiting for this for years :rolleyes:

At last! It's here. I don't wanna see the price tag though.

YeOldeTDUMan · January 9, 2009

induction loop charging has been in development for a few years ... was shown on the Gadget show a series or 2 ago

and eventually it'll be on everything ... laptops, mobiles, mp3 players ... makes life a damn sight easier without having to have leads for everything ... you'll just have a plate plugged into the mains at home or work and all you'll do is just place the item on top and hey presto it will charge up

Iced_Bullet · January 9, 2009

Imagine what it does to our brains! aaahhh!!

Nodz86 · January 9, 2009

This is being develop alot now I read somewhere that tey can charge a range of devices via lasrs, so it beams the laser to the charging station and then when it hits the heat is converted into electricity to charge it.

Hope it dont develop to quickly or I'll be looking for a new job.