Xiaomi wireless charging tech offered for smart phones

Chinese home electronics firm, Xiaomi, recently revealed a new development from its research team for remote charge technology. The company’s new project will potentially give users the option for charging multiple personal devices at the same time and can recharge a mobile phone in use, from across the room, regardless of any physical obstructions present

Introducing Mi Air Charge

The firm headquartered in the Chinese capital of Beijing outlined its new technology in a 2021 blog post. The tech’s transmitter seems to be quite sizeable is about the same dimensions as a sofa side-table and can deliver a 5-watt wireless charge to a smartphone.

The device developed by Xiaomi features an isolated charge pile equipped with five individual in-built phase-interference antennas that are able to detect a smartphone’s location accurately. It also contains an array for phase control that is made up of 144 antennas that can transmit minuscule millimetre-wide waves to devices directly via beamforming.

This type of charging is not associated with the Qi open interface standard. To work properly smartphones must be equipped with additional tech that includes a miniaturised antenna array with an in-built beacon antenna along with an antenna array receiver. The compatible smartphone then has 14 individual antennas that can convert the millimetre-wide signal that’s sent by the dedicated charging pile. The wave signal is then transformed into electric energy via a rectifier circuit.

A new solution for wireless home charging

In its present form, Xiaomi’s new technology for remote charging can effectively charge several devices using a 5-watt electric current within an unspecified radius. Additionally, the electronics firm claims that any physical objects in the path of the signal do not reduce charging efficiency, however, it’s likely there will be some instances where this isn’t possible.

Xiaomi has also hinted that its new Mi Air Charge technology will eventually be compatible with a wide range of wearables such as fitness bands and smartwatches worn by homeowners. At present, there is no fixed date for the technology’s release or even a confirmation if it would be made available for consumers as it will be an expensive solution to produce.

Image by Juraj Vasek from Pixabay