Sure, we’ve seen wireless charging systems before. In the past, though, these solutions have (almost always) arrived in the form of separate “charging” pads, which first require the user to connect to a AC power source. That’s not the news here.
Instead, Fulton Innovation claims to have created a system which allows a smartphone to wirelessly charge itself … when placed on the back of a tablet.
Now that’s cool.
Through “innovative technology solutions,” Fulton says it wants to “[enhance] the way people work, live and play” — and if its latest product gains enough traction, they’ll have achieved it. Currently in its “prototype” stages, the technology is still considered to be in its infancy, but there’s no doubting that it does provide a fleeting glimpse of what may be possible in the future.
It’s a well known fact that our smartphone batteries often don’t last us through the day. Our tablets, however, do. Picture this scenario: Your smartphone dies on you, and you’re in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, you packed your tablet before leaving. You get your tablet out of your bag and turn it over, place your smartphone on the rear of the tablet and your smartphone springs to life, notifying you it’s charging.
That’s what we’re talking about here. It’s potentially, groundbreaking stuff, especially in relation to the wireless charging space, which has been fairly slow to get going.
As for how this thing works? – While it looks like pure black magic is being used here, the reality it quite less exciting, (but still cool). Believe it or not, the technology is actually seeing the smartphone being charged drain the battery contained in the tablet below — and there also lies the first real caveat of using such a method. See, unlike plugging both devices into the AC using a wire, with this method, one device gives up its charge to let another live.
There’s also the questions regarding potential overheating of either device. Smartphone and tablet batteries have been known to explode in the past. Is charging your smartphone on top of your tablet really that of a good idea?
Given time to develop, I think it might just be.
The “eCoupled” method also paves the way for other future implementations and uses, too, which are equally as neat, and those are also detailed in the video we’ve embedded above.
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