Much better wireless power transmission possible - boffins
Engineering boffins in the States say they're on the track of a method to hugely improve the transmission of electrical power without wires. The developments, reportedly, could mean that it wouldn't be just laptops or smartphones charging up wirelessly - much more powerful devices like cars might also get their power without …
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Credit where credit is due
Wasn't a world wide wireless power network envisioned by Tesla first (A scientist),
+1 For Tesla!
The question is would someone trying to rekindle the Wardenclyffe Tower experiment today run into the same obstacles that Tesla did? After all the reason it was never finished wasn't because he just got tired of the idea.
Telsa?
Didn't Telsa plan to build a global power transmission system from Long Island? I think that he probably completed it and that it was used as part of the Philadephia Experiment. The US military are probably a bit strapped and trying to release it commercially now.
Here it is (was)
Well remembered sir, it was Wardenclyffe Tower on Long Island:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardenclyffe_Tower
@Well remembered
Not quite well remembered enough, as Tesla is spelled incorrectly. Twice.
/pedant
Tesla=HAARP?
And there's this piece of Tesla technology pumping up 3.6MW in Alaska generated from turbines with nearby surplus natural gas. The thing is this, no one will admit to where it's all going. Theories please!
Wow
The equivalent of almost 4000 bar radiators. That's sure to melt the glaciers!
Only one problem ...
What happens if something gets between source & sink? Who dies first?
I may be missing something
... but is what has just been described not better known a good old fashioned waveguide?
probably it is a waveguide (can't be bothered to check)
... but these days you can make waveguides with rather exotic (and occasionally useful) properties using metamaterials.
link to another paper
http://www.merl.com/reports/docs/TR2010-078.pdf
it must be true
It must be true, I saw that long-invisible (and deservedly so) "futurologist" James Bellini on the telescreen at the weekend talking about (amongst other insanities) wireless power transmission.
Speaking of insanity, Captain Cyborg is back too, he was on something on Radio 4 Breakfast or whatever it's called last week... as was terrorism expert, dodgy phone tapping investigator and now Times journalist Andy Hayman.
Not a good few days for BBC News+Current Affairs.
Never mind the towers...
If you can get the power to cross a half-meter, just line the roads with transmitter pads, and you can run electric cars down the road like slotcars. Add minimal batteries for off-grid manuevering (getting into a parking lot or driveway, etc.) and you have a working concept.
An expensive power transitter for each meter or road?
Cheaper to replace roads with maglev track.
dodgems?
"just line the roads with transmitter pads"
so the new wireless revolution begins with lining all the roads with wire?
Touch worried
I'm a touch worried about putting enough power to power a microwave over a distance any further than in direct contact, even if it's done right, half of people think mobile phones cause head cancer, I imagine these same people would be terrified at the prospect of electricity in the air...maybe a repeat of Brasseye's "heavy electricity" bit?
Wuzzup?
Hey there is ALREADY enough electricity in the air to power several thousand microwaves. Go figure on that!
...but
Not directed in a straight line or at a small area, there's enough electricity alright but not in a focused enough way if there was enough latent charge floating about to power a microwave without intervention, the the whole discussion would be a moot point.
Robert A Heinlein
There is so much more in the Waldo story much orf it achievable or already achieved, why pick on the wacky stuff?
Intriguing idea. Depends what the range is
and weather there is a market *for* that range and power level.
Looking at the MRL document (MRL is I suspect full of as much accumulated brainpower as PARC) suggests they might be able to radically improve the amount of power you can transmit through walls, which would be handy for driving things in hostile environments. without requiring high temperature/high pressure feedthroughs.
@John Smith 19
That's an appalling spell of wether[1].
[1] Yes, I know. Dealing with spring lambs ... so shoot me ;-)
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