Marty Cooper, creator of the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x.
Marty Cooper, the inventor of the first handheld cell phone, is backing a new project that is looking to change the way we charge our smartphones. Energous, a new technology which uses radio frequencies to replenish the battery life of cell phones, has received FCC approval for its Miniature WattUp transmitter, with Cooper pledging his support to the device.
Having joined the company’s board of advisers back in early 2015, the ruling from the FCC has now allowed Energous and Cooper to edge further towards releasing the potentially game-changing transmitter. With Energous hoping to effectively make wireless charging an inevitability rather than a pipe dream, Cooper told CNNMoney: “Energous is one large step closer to fulfilling its vision of bringing wire-free charging to consumers.”
The Miniature WattUp transmitter would allow users to put their cell phone on charge without connecting it to a docking station or a socket, with it allowing the user to continue carrying their device around as it is regaining battery. The tech is also being positioned with Internet of Things devices and wearables such as smartwatches, with a concept video released by the company last year showing a family each charging their devices while using them around their home and in their car.
Energous CEO Steve Rizzone has stated that he is first looking to release small transmitters that can charge devices from a few inches away, before eventually releasing and then large transmitters which will be able to charge devices from more sizable distances. The “first phase” of Energous products will be released later this year, he told CNNMoney.
Though there are competitors in this space, Cooper claimed that Energous would be the company to bring wireless charging to the masses. “Energous is the only convenient way to do it,” he said, adding: “It won’t involve any active participation by the customer, and the best technology is invisible.” Though it’s currently unknown whether product manufacturers will look to implement this technology into their devices in the near future, Energous hopes that its transmitters will one day eradicate our current charging methods, seeing us no longer needing to hook our devices up to an electrical charge in order to keep them powered.
