Microsoft wants to charge your phone, WITH LASERS!

[Tech Squirrel]

Original Article from WinBeta.org;

 

Wireless charging, though a sexy sounding solution, faces a number of hurdles which have, as yet, to be overcome. Firstly, the wireless transmission of power is potentially quite dangerous to humans, so much so that the US military has weaponized the concept with ZEUS-HLONS. Secondly, it is notoriously difficult to direct power when transmitting it wirelessly, as such the process is enormously inefficient when taking place over anything more than a few centimeters. Most wireless chargers follow this trend, meaning that the true potential benefits of the platform are yet to be seen.

 

Enter Microsoft:

 

Apparently Microsoft Research (out of China) has invented a way to charge your phone anywhere in a room without cables or charging pads.

 

Instead they have a device that detects your device using a (built in, I assume) kinect, locks on, and sends a beam of focused infrared light onto your device.

 

 

But how does the device get charged?

This method does not follow the traditional means of transmitting power wirelessly, instead it relies on the receiving device being fitted with a photo-voltaic panel.

 

To me, It seems like the largest hurdle to overcome is getting device manufacturers to start incorporating photo-voltaic cells into their devices. 

 

The final thing you may ask yourself is how does the device tell the charger that the battery is done charging or other possibly relevant information such as if the laser is actually cooking the phone and needs to be turned off?

 

Microsoft Researches idea is to use a blinking LED to relay the info, although, I could see Bluetooth or WiFi as being being equally effective. 

 

 

 

This whole idea may in itself sound crazy, but then I read this:

 

Depending on the equipment used, it is theorized that using this method could be at least as quick as charging via a wall socket, meaning that we might be able to live the dream of a cable-less existence within a number of years.

 

And if that doesn't get you excited for this new technology, I don't know what will, although after I calmed down I started to be a little skeptical as I find it hard to believe it could ever be as efficient as wall chargers. But hey we can still hope.

 

 

Thoughts: I think that this concept is a fantastic Idea but I would like to see more testing go into this technology to ensure its effectiveness and safety. I don't think this will be widely adopted into homes anytime soon, where I can see this tech shine is in the business sector where people bring their phones (which may have business information on them thus being used a lot throughout the day leading to a low battery) to meetings. You could install this into a meeting room and be able to keep all your employees devices charged while saving wall outlet space for laptops and old tech that doesn't use this method of charging. To resolve the conflict of multiple devices in a room I am sure Microsoft could implement a model or prototype with multiple lasers. Perhaps the biggest hindrance to this is the fact that in order for this to become widespread, you have to have an install base of companies incorporating photo-voltaic cells into their devices, and consumers/businesses purchasing those devices. If Microsoft can accomplish that, this technology may be widespread very soon. 

 

Source:

http://www.winbeta.org/news/future-becomes-little-cooler-microsoft-research-wants-charge-your-phone-lasers

[GzeroD]

I always say yes to lasers. 

[StingBull]

Sounds cool but extremely impractical. Just like light sabers.

[GzeroD]

Sounds cool but extremely impractical. Just like light sabers.

Sir, are you arguing against lasers?

[StingBull]

Sir, are you arguing against lasers?

I'd prefer a laser pistol to a glorified stick.

My motto when it comes to laser swords is :"It's the future, get a gun. You idiots"

[GzeroD]

I'd prefer a laser pistol to a glorified stick.

My motto when it comes to laser swords is :"It's the future, get a gun. You idiots"

This is entirely acceptable as everyone knows you need to be able to predict the future for a laser sword to be effective. For a moment I thought you where some sort of anti laser heathen, my apologizes.

[Sharp_3yE]

This is really interesting. My next phone is def going to be a MS phone to try this out.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

So it takes a picture of your room and then analyzes that picture to look for a smartphone ?

Basically you'll be photographed all day long and you just have to hope that nobody hacked your laser camera or that it doesn't send the pics directly to Microsoft's servers and on to the NSA.

 

I'll use a cable.

[PhantomChevron]

Sounds cool but extremely impractical. Just like light sabers.

Lightsabers aren't impractical, they would be awesome

[Scheer]

 

 

Firstly, the wireless transmission of power is potentially quite dangerous to humans, so much so that the US military has weaponized the concept with ZEUS-HLONS. 

 

Comparing wireless charging your phone to a device that takes up nearly all of the interior space of a HMMWV is dumb... good thing they threw in "potentially". I mean I could potentially say lazer pointers could potentially be quite dangerous to humans if you make them a thousand times larger. Also, side note, an ant is potentially quite dangerous if 1000 times larger.

 

 

 

 

Secondly, it is notoriously difficult to direct power when transmitting it wirelessly, as such the process is enormously inefficient when taking place over anything more than a few centimeters. 

 

I have a hard time understanding this... we can very easily shoot several watts of power 30 miles between two 6 foot diameter microwave dishes, how is this more difficult? Yes, it is inefficient, but its more than do-able and you already have a starting point... just work on the efficiency. 

 

All wireless data is simply power with data modulated into it.

 

I'm sure there is something stopping it from being easy, but I really don't think this is the reason. RFID tags are charged by random RF in the air...

[Tech Squirrel]

Comparing wireless charging your phone to a device that takes up nearly all of the interior space of a HMMWV is dumb... good thing they threw in "potentially". I mean I could potentially say lazer pointers could potentially be quite dangerous to humans if you make them a thousand times larger. Also, side note, an ant is potentially quite dangerous if 1000 times larger.

 

 

 

I have a hard time understanding this... we can very easily shoot several watts of power 30 miles between two 6 foot diameter microwave dishes, how is this more difficult? Yes, it is inefficient, but its more than do-able and you already have a starting point... just work on the efficiency. 

 

All wireless data is simply power with data modulated into it.

 

I'm sure there is something stopping it from being easy, but I really don't think this is the reason. RFID tags are charged by random RF in the air...

I agree with you, I personally don't agree with this 100% but I do know of Military weaponry that is similar ( Directed Energy Weapons). I put that paragraph into this thread/post/whatever to lead into the story. Anyway those views and any of WinBeta are not necessarily tangent to my own, just getting that out there. 

[Tonylu1595]

Laser not included.

[zappian]

The future is now.

 

I want my hover boards also.

[Trik'Stari]

I always say yes to lasers. 

I do as well.

 

Waiting for the day when we can replace the leads on a motherboard and cables on a PC with lazers/fiber optic cables.

 

Because reasons.

[AlwaysFSX]

I do as well.

 

Waiting for the day when we can replace the leads on a motherboard and cables on a PC with lazers/fiber optic cables.

 

Because reasons.

Fiber optics won't help you in that matter because light doesn't carry enough energy to do shit for your system. You'd end up starting fusion if it did.

[Trik'Stari]

Fiber optics won't help you in that matter because light doesn't carry enough energy to do shit for your system. You'd end up starting fusion if it did.

Not for power, for data.

 

And if you mean that as well.....well then fuck

[Tech Squirrel]

Fiber optics won't help you in that matter because light doesn't carry enough energy to do shit for your system. You'd end up starting fusion if it did.

We wouldn't want our PCs going radioactive now would we. On topic; I wonder if there could be any safety concerns with this tech. I doubt it as they would have some safety features to prevent anyone from accidentally having laser eye surgery at work. I still think this is safer than the induction charging.

[Spannerhands]

This is quite an old idea, Lazar transmission and microwave transmission has been thought over before, like wireless electricity was originally invented by Mr Tesla, so was nothing new, but like wireless charging (which is more efficient than this) the loss of energy is too great.

 

In the next year or so in the EU there will be a bill passed to stop companies selling inefficient chargers, especially ones that don't turn off when a device is not connected, some wireless charges are only 40% efficient! I cant even imagine how bad this will be, because you lose in the generation of the beam as well as the collector?,  though its a cool implementation, love "frickin lasers" its never going to be a mainstream idea...

[pbenologa]

LASUR PLS. Haha. MOAR LASURS PLS. On a serious note, is that harmful side can be avoided other than not using the technology at all?

[stconquest]

You fall asleep at your desk, next to your smartphone, one night. You wake up in the morning with half your brain supercharged!

[Mystic Mistro]

I always say yes to lasers.

A moto to live life by

[Guest]

Lasers make everything better.

[MoDtEc]

Yayyy to LAZERZ! And Yayy to RADIATIONZ!

 

oh hi cancer didnt see you coming... make yourself at home

 

interesting idea, but if you want to walk around WITH your phone whil its being charged because you cant stand it if its laying on your desk because its chraged via a wire, arnt you highly phone-addicted then?

[Camul]

I'd prefer a laser pistol to a glorified stick.

My motto when it comes to laser swords is :"It's the future, get a gun. You idiots"

 

FYI, Star Wars isn't set in the future.

[Tech Squirrel]

Yayyy to LAZERZ! And Yayy to RADIATIONZ!

 

oh hi cancer didnt see you coming... make yourself at home

 

interesting idea, but if you want to walk around WITH your phone whil its being charged because you cant stand it if its laying on your desk because its chraged via a wire, arnt you highly phone-addicted then?

I dont believe they were using it as a charge while you are walking around type system. Just a set it somewhere and it does it without intervention. 

 

as if it was hard to plug in a cable, well USB, nah type C is coming lol. It just seems a little more lazy but it makes some sense to me.  I am not defending the practicality, I just thought it was a cool news story lol