uBeam

uBeam is a U.S. company that is developing a wireless charging system that is designed to work via ultrasound. The company claims that its product will be safe, legal, and will work by delivering power in a directional focused beam.[1] The company has received $23.4 million in investment.[2]

Some other observers have been more critical, stating that the company's claims are unlikely to be achievable within safe power limits. Critics have cited problems such as the difficulty of achieving high efficiency in sound transfer, the difficulty of achieving an unobstructed path for the beam, the high absorption of high frequency ultrasound in air, and thus the likely short range of the product, and the possibility of headaches, nausea, or hearing damage at power levels high enough to be effective.[3][4][5]

In November 2015, the company released technical specifications for its proposed system, stating that its power beam would use ultrasound with a frequency of between 45 kHz - 75 kHz, with a sound intensity of 145 dB to 155 dB SPL, and that it would use a phased array technique to direct the beam.[2] This intensity is at or above most peak occupational exposure limits, and sufficient to kill an unshaven mouse within minutes, death arising there from thermal effects.[6] Humans, with smooth reflective skin and a lower surface-area-to-volume ratio, can survive higher intensities. The company states that the beam will cut out automatically if it is intercepted by objects other than the receiver, ensuring safety.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Constine, Josh (October 8, 2015). "uBeam Finally Reveals The Secret Of How Its Wireless Charging Phone Case Works Safely". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  2. 1 2 Constine, Josh (7 November 2015). "uBeam Declassifies Secrets To Try To Prove Wireless Power Is Possible". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  3. ↑ Gomes, Lee (9 November 2015). "Can uBeam's Through-the-Air Phone Charging System Live Up to the Hype?". spectrum.ieee.org. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  4. ↑ Dale, Brady (9 November 2015). "Wireless Charging: uBeam's Headache and Nausea Question". Observer. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  5. ↑ "uBeam FAQ". eevblog. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
  6. ↑ "Effects of Ultrasonic Noise on the Human Body—A Bibliographic Review". International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics.

External links

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