iPhone case that "harvests" energy from the air.

[Nineshadow]

The device will launch on crowdfunding site Kickstarter in about a month costing $99 (£65), and it will ship within four months.

 

Nikola Labs says the gadget converts radio frequencies into power which can boost your phone's charge.

 

It says phones typically waste around 90% of their energy by pushing out the ambient radio frequency needed for a mobile connection - energy which can be recaptured and used to power the phone for up to 30% longer.

 

The device will launch on crowdfunding site Kickstarter in about a month costing $99 (£65), and it will ship within four months.

 

The technology was developed by Ohio State University, which has licenced the technology to Nikola Labs.

 

The passive process continues for as long as the case is connected to the phone, and users do not have to stand within the vicinity of any special charging devices or antennas for it to work.

 

Nikola Labs co-founder Dr Rob Lee is respected in the field of electronics, suggesting the technology described is credible.

 

The Kickstarter listing is expected to detail how the technology works in more detail.

 

Dr Lee announced the device at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in New York.

 

SOURCE

---

 

Well...let's see if it's a real thing or just snake oil.

Edited May 8, 2015 by colonel_mortis
Fixed link

[RevoltTrain]

Seems cool if it's legit. Now if they came out with this for Android phones they'd have a buyer in me

[MrSuperb]

up to 30% + a HUGE case + possible affects on signal strength

____

 

NOPE

[alexstahp]

Seems cool if it's legit. Now if they came out with this for Android phones they'd have a buyer in me

They probably would if there wasn't so many different android phones     

[FloRolf]

When and why did this whole 'hey, lets only make cool stuff for iphone'-thing start? >.<

Edit:

up to 30% + a HUGE case + possible affects on signal strength

____

NOPE

Oh yeah just realized, that thing is huge. Nah i prefer having a slimmer phone than 30% more batterylyf.

[RevoltTrain]

They probably would if there wasn't so many different android phones     

I could imagine it happening for the flagship phones.

[MrSuperb]

When and why did this whole 'hey, lets only make cool stuff for iphone'-thing start? >.<

 

probably because it is the best selling phone?

[MrSuperb]

Oh yeah just realized, that thing is huge. Nah i prefer having a slimmer phone than 30% more batterylyf.

 

I don't mind a bit thicker phone ... but for UP to 30% this seams to be massive

[Sharp_3yE]

up to 30% + a HUGE case + possible affects on signal strength

____

NOPE

If they could use wireless charging capabilities in their phone case for android or windows phones then it could be better. The sides would be slimmer but the back may be a bit thick.

There are also cases about that size that are an extra battery giving you a longer lasting phone as well.

[rhyseyness]

I don't understand why people are like "I want a bigger phone with more battery rather than a slimmer phone with crappy battery", and then when something like this arrives, which makes their phone bigger in order to improve battery life, they complain that it's too big.

Make up your minds people!  :huh:

[MrSuperb]

I don't understand why people are like "I want a bigger phone with more battery rather than a slimmer phone with crappy battery", and then when something like this arrives, which makes their phone bigger in order to improve battery life, they complain that it's too big.

Make up your minds people!  :huh:

 

because making the battery 30% higher in capacity wouldn't make the phone double the size

[Psykomantis00]

Snake oil.

[elecxonica]

When and why did this whole 'hey, lets only make cool stuff for iphone'-thing start? >.<

Edit:

Oh yeah just realized, that thing is huge. Nah i prefer having a slimmer phone than 30% more batterylyf.

For the first thing, when Apple made the iPod with 30 pin dock connector, pretty much

For the second, I'd honestly much rather pick up a battery case. Similar size, much better battery life extention

[rhyseyness]

because making the battery 30% higher in capacity wouldn't make the phone double the size

Agreed, for this case it makes less sense, but isn't crazy, since it wouldn't need charging, and wouldn't ever go flat like a battery case would.

I see the same argument made on 2000mAh+ cases anyway.

[MrDynamicMan]

I didn't know snake oil worked like that.

[qhgf]

It says phones typically waste around 90% of their energy by pushing out the ambient radio frequency needed for a mobile connection - energy which can be recaptured and used to power the phone for up to 30% longer.

K well Idk if anyone who made this case has a brain, but the most energy consuming part of your phone is the touchscreen. I mean unless you're a strange person who doesn't actually like to use your phone on a regular basis.

Snake oil to the max

[.spider.]

Instead of reducing the signal strength of the cellular connection module we use a case to power the device a bit longer by its wasted energy.

[Delusional Phil]

Meh ... Just buy a battery bank . Much more effective ... 

[Delphi1662]

When and why did this whole 'hey, lets only make cool stuff for iphone'-thing start? >.<

Edit:

Oh yeah just realized, that thing is huge. Nah i prefer having a slimmer phone than 30% more batterylyf.

it easier for them since you only need to make maybe 3 -4 different types to keep up for each generation of iphones much harder for android when 2 different 5inch phones have different dimensions

 

not sold on this thing though sounds sort of like those crack chargerse that harvested ambient wifi signals a few years back

[TroubleKlef]

hm... I wonder how much energy this thing can actually harvest though. Just how much energy is released in RF in lets say an hour? Also how well does the device convert this energy to usable energy? 

[Thony]

I know jack sh*t about air+radio frequency=battery life so can't judge.

I just hope this concept of producing energy evolves so one day in the far future we won't need batteries

[Nup]

Awesome tech! i'd love to see a review of this.... 

[Godlygamer23]

You need to fix your source. It loops us back to this very page.

[Kamil]

Ah yes, clearly all the radio waves your phone pumps out in order to remain connected to cellular, WiFi, and data networks are "wasted power" and should be stopped. Also, they should be stopped by letting them be released, then inefficiently converting them back into electricity rather than just turning them off.

I may be exaggerating, and it's possible that phones don't have internal capabilities to tune down their antennas (in other words, they have things going at MAX POWER just in case you get a low signal) so absorbing some of the signal wouldn't hurt unless you have a bad connection to begin with. On the other hand, I have had experience with my phone getting very hot and using battery quickly even in standby caused by having a poor connection, which makes me think that phones DO have the ability to turn down their antennas and that they often do so when the signal is good enough. Potentially, that would actually make this case REDUCE battery life since it would cause those times more frequently.

Then again, my phone is not an iPhone, so maybe it's an iPhone-specific thing that it uses? Regardless, the claim that 90% of a phone's battery usage goes toward the antenna is suspect, and almost certainly based on that phone going from full charge to empty without the screen being turned on once, and without any notifications etc.

Also, not an iPhone user so I couldn't buy it even if I wanted... which I don't. Especially since 30% won't change a one-day battery to a two-day battery, and its effectiveness (if any, and disregarding any potential side effects) varies so heavily depending on how you use it and you can't just carry one around with you then put it on when your phone gets low. So many downsides compared to normal battery cases.

[deadher0]

Snake oil.

I couldn't have said it better.