Dr. Katie Hall is developing ways to transfer power without wires. She believes that wireless energy will be as common as Wi-Fi Internet in the home of the future.The technology could lead to new and revolutionary medical devices.
“We’re going to transfer power without any kind of wires,” says Dr. Hall, now chief technology officer at WiTricity, a start-up developing wireless “resonance” technology.
“But, we’re not actually putting electricity in the air. What we’re doing is putting a magnetic field in the air.”
WiTricityis building a “Source Resonator,” a coil of electrical wire that generates a magnetic field when power is attached.If another coil is brought close, an electrical charge can be generated in it. No wires required.
“When you bring a device into that magnetic field, it induces a current in the device, and by that you’re able to transfer power,” explains Dr. Hall.
