The wireless charging capability has been the pursuit of technology for quite some time now. A Silicon Valley-based startup called uBeam has claimed to develop a wireless charger using ultrasonic waves. While the company has been accused of making false promises in the past, it now seems to have delivered what it had claimed: a truly cordless charger.
At the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles, the company demonstrated its wireless technology. The company announced it to be an off-the-record demonstration, but what do you expect from a crowd carrying video cameras with them? Videos of the demo are all over the internet in which the CEO Meredith Perry is holding an Android phone near a large device. Just a few seconds later, a charging icon appeared on the phone while it was visibly not connected to a wire anywhere.
Here is the video by Spencer Rascoff, CEO Zillow Group:
Wireless charging of a phone thru the air. Woh. ? 1st public demo ever @ubeam #UpfrontSummit pic.twitter.com/I6GZx7KDri
— Spencer Rascoff (@spencerrascoff) February 3, 2017
At the moment, the device is quite a large box, but the company’s goal is to shrink it down to a small satellite dish-shaped charger that you can carry anywhere. People have claimed that even uBeam’s foundational concept is not sound, which appears to be the reason why some of the team including a VP, original CTO, and a CFO have left the company. The recent demonstration, however, disapproves of the criticism but a lot of other questions about the consistency of the design remain unanswered.
Do you think that the portable ultrasonic wireless charger can become a reality? Comment below!
