Splashpower offers two new SplashPads

Someday we'll be able to say "we were there" when this nascent technology was just finding its legs, but for now the charge-by-contact SplashPad by Splashpower offers no more convenience than plugging your devices directly into the wall. Nevertheless, we present you with the company's newest products, the Multi SplashPad and the Single SplashPad. As their names obviously indicate, the former charger is for use with two devices while the latter only holds one. Unfortunately, each of your devices requires a special attachment to work with the SplashPads, and only get charged when they are sitting directly on the units themselves. Thanks, but we'll wait around for Electric WiFi, when we can juice up our gear in line at Starbucks while they brew our Caffe Verona.

[csbarcode @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Though it wont make it more convenient, it will reduce the number of cables lying around.

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

This sounds just like the Sonicare toothbrush chargers.

[Bas @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

So much possiblilities arise using this technique!

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

"Thanks, but we�ll wait around for Electric WiFi, when we can juice up our gear in line at Starbucks while they brew our Caffe Verona."

Maybe I'm just a crazy old coot babbling to himself on his back porch while he cleans his dentures, but is there anyone else out there that kinda worries about standing in the middle of a relatively high-voltage electric field for more than, say, 3 seconds? Is this not going to cause rampant cell mutations or other unwanted effects over any length of time?

[YankInOz @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Jeff - you are already standing in a relatively high-voltage electric field - you are constantly being bombarded with all sorts of "rays" from the sun and other stars that far exceed anything that transmission fields can do... so enjoy those mutations - that is how the ET Grays became grey (british spelling) :)

BTW: This is exactly like the Sonicare recharger... which will get really hot!
:P

[YankInOz @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Jeff - you are already standing in a relatively high-voltage electric field - you are constantly being bombarded with all sorts of "rays" from the sun and other stars that far exceed anything that transmission fields can do... so enjoy those mutations - that is how the ET Grays became grey (british spelling) :)

BTW: This is exactly like the Sonicare recharger... which will get really hot!
:P

[Theron @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

its a rather finny "woopie cussion" for people with metal hip replacements

[Ryan gardner @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

This technology involves close contact. It most likely invovles mutual inductance - in which two magnetic coils are placed near each other and the magnetic field in one induces a current flow in the other. SonicCare toothbrushes work this way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductance

There may be another technology at work here, but I doubt it. In other words: This technolgy does not have a realistic potential to become an airborn charger of devices while you wait in line. If that were to become possible, the market for that kind of device would have to be proven by things like this - and then a bunch of research would have to take place to make it possible. This method is not scalable to that size.

[ginnal @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

"Splashpower offers no more convenience than
plugging your devices directly into the wall"

Poppy Cock is this used induction it can be applied to pretty much anything, instead of having 10 chargers you can have one.

[Cameron @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

There are a couple important things to realize about all this. First, inductance chargers have been around for a while. They haven't taken off because they're expensive and highly innefficient, which is symptomatic of most wireless energy transmitters.

Also a possibility is the sort of device that Tesla was working on (we could use another Tesla today, I think), namely a device like a Tesla Coil that can transmit electricity through the air. There are problems of course with extremely high voltage current flying through the air, though, most notably that your electrical devices nearby would most likely be destroyed, the possibility of causing cancer from the powerful (gamma) radiation, and there is anecdotal evidence that experimenters can experience nerve damage from being around coils.

Early in the 20th century there were a few designs to send power into the ionosphere largely on the microwave frequency. Someone who wishes to get power would only need to put up an antenna to collect it. This produces a large amount of heat, however, is very inefficient, and generally pretty scary in how dangerous it is in a variety of situations. Plus, you'd have all this power going to places in the atmosphere where nobodoy needs it, like over the entire pacific ocean.

Anyway, please read up on Tesla. He's one of the most fascinating people of the 20th century, I would say.

[anon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Probably not on most people's minds, but since this would eliminate the need for a power connector, it would allow for manufacturers to make devices more waterproof. Guess I'm biased because I lost a phone to water once.

Also, it'd be cool if they had these chargers in public places like a restaurant table.

[WOV @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Yeah, or got togther with an integrated solar manufacturer - like Konarka or Nanosolar. BTW, engadget, seen that announcement that Konarka and some fiber company are getting together on solar PV woven fabrics?