Powercast Corp. and Powermat have announced a partnership that will bring unique capabilities to designers tasked with adding wireless power technology to their charging designs. The partnership will leverage Powercast’s low-power, long-range over-the-air RF technology and Powermat’s high-power, short-range hybrid inductive/resonance technology.
Over the past two decades, there has been a growing increase in the adoption of wireless power. Two approaches exist: close-range charging such as with a Qi charger and far-field charging based on RF technology. While contact-based applications require a lot of power, far-field needs less power.
For designers searching for the appropriate technology for a new project, it often means educating themselves on both technologies. To add to the confusion, many wireless charging companies offer very different technology approaches, each claiming that theirs is the best solution.
Partnership leverages Powermat’s high-power, short-range SmartInductive technology and Powercast’s low-power, long-range RF technology. (Source: Powercast)
Now, the partnership between Powercast and Powermat creates one team to implement both short- and long-range wireless power designs optimized for each application. The partnership enables environmentally friendly, untethered devices that literally cut the cords, using rechargeable batteries or no batteries.
“The convenience of a one-stop wireless power shop has not existed before,” said Charles Goetz, CEO of Powercast. “Since our partnership covers the entire spectrum of wireless power, customers can ditch researching solutions themselves and relax knowing we’ll recommend the best fit for them. It is transformative for the industry in that there is only one place for you to go for a wireless power solution and have all the IP, all the design capabilities and the manufacturing under that roof.”
Powermat’s high-power SmartInductive hybrid inductive/resonance technology enables scalable wireless power applications that penetrate up to eight inches of wall and windows. Reference design platforms range from 5-W consumer-grade applications to 600-W industrial-grade applications such as telecom, robotics, micro-mobility and medical devices.
In comparison, Powercast’s RF solution transfers power over a distance of up to 120 feet, delivering lower power levels from 100s of milliwatts to single-digit microwatts, depending on distance. Designed for low-power consumer and industrial devices requiring freedom of placement, such as IoT sensor networks, RF enables one-to-many charging for multiple devices in its charging zone for home automation sensor networks, TV remotes, electric toothbrushes, headphones and smartwatch applications.
“Most companies do not have wireless power technology skills in-house. Even sophisticated technology companies tend not to have a wireless power group,” explained Goetz.
The Powercast/Powermat team will recommend the most appropriate wireless charging solution to meet the design goals from proof-of-concept to prototype and production.
“Engineering, proof of concept and design for manufacturing (DFM) skillsets are offered by the partnership as well,” Goetz said. “Not only can you find the right wireless power solution, but have that design created specific to your product, your application and need in that same conversation.”
Powercast (booth #840) and Powermat (booth #805) will discuss their partnership and wireless power at Sensors Converge in Santa Clara, CA, June 20-22, 2023.
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