What is this device?
Chinese device-maker Xiaomi published a YouTube video where it revealed its “Mi Air Charge Technology” that is in development, showing off some vague details about its upcoming long-range wireless power system. This innovation from the global tech name will allow its users to remotely charge electronic devices without any cables or wireless charging stands.
Tell me more- how does it work?
The technology requires a base station about the size of a small end table with a 144-antenna array inside. Those antennas send “extremely narrow millimeter wide wave beams” to special antennas built into mobile devices in the same room. The devices then charge at roughly 5W, which is on the low end of what you’d expect from a typical wireless charger in their current form. There’s a lot of jargon, but essentially it’ll charge compatible devices as long as they’re within a radius of a few meters. No cables, no pads, just automatic wireless charging taking care of itself.
What else does it do?
Currently, the technology in development is capable of five-watt remote charging of multiple devices within a several meter radius regardless of physical obstacles. Xiaomi hopes to develop its Mi Air Charge Technology to help create smart homes that can power a range of wireless powered home products for a clutter-free home as it’ll be able to charge multiple devices simultaneously (each device will support 5W remote charging).
So when can I get it?
Right now, it is not revealed if Mi Air Charge will be rolled out to consumers. It’s likely there’s still a bit of fine-tuning to do behind the scenes, but Xiaomi’s announcement that “today, we enter a true wireless charging era” implies the company is confident it’ll become a viable reality eventually.