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Nagano Japan shows off yet another contactless charging system
It's been little over a month since Showa Aircraft demonstrated a contactless charging system that boasts 90% efficiency over a distance of 60 centimeters -- and now what is this? Nagano Japan Radio Co Ltd. is touting a similar system that works up to one meter, with a pretty incredible 95% efficiency at a distance of 40 centimeters. According to Tech-On, the company is currently hard at work trying to ramp the output up from "several tens" of watts to several kilowatts. As opposed to Showa's recent outing (which relies on electromagnetic induction), this system uses magnetic resonance to achieve its effect. However, as this method "drastically lowers" its efficiency when the position of the sending and receiving units are displaced, the team designed a system that automatically detects coil displacement and reorients itself accordingly. The company hopes to someday charge electronic vehicles with the thing, although we'd be happy if it merely enabled us to stow our WildCharge pads out of sight. They seriously clash with the decor here at Engadget HQ.
Showa Aircraft shows off contactless charging system, world backs on up a little
We've been hearing about true contactless charging systems for some time now (as opposed to simple wireless chargers like the Pre Touchstone), but it looks like Japan's Showa Aircraft is among the first to actually show off the real deal in action. Like some of those other proposed systems, Showa's rig uses an electromagnetic induction method, which lets it charge or power devices up to one meter apart, although it apparently works best at distances less than 60 centimeters, where it's able to reach a 90% transmission efficiency. Now, all that energy floating through the air can understandably raise a few eyebrows, but Showa assures us that it is completely safe, and they've demonstrated as much placing a frying pan between the two massive coils, which apparently did not heat up.[Via SlashGear]
