Xiaomi Introduces new Mi Air Charge Wireless Charging Technology to Power Up Smartphones Over Air
Xiaomi unveiled on Friday the Mi Air Charge, a new wireless charging technology, as its proprietary technology. As its name suggests, Mi Air Charge is designed to allow users to remotely charge their electronic devices, including smartphones, without any wires, pads or wireless charging stands. This is distinct from current wireless charging systems such as those based on the commonly accepted Qi standard in which power is transmitted wirelessly through inductive charging over a distance of up to four centimetres. Xiaomi’s Mi Air Charge is claimed to charge several devices “within a radius of several metres”—and even with physical barriers. Despite the launch, the system will not necessarily be usable in the immediate term and will remain in the design process.
In order to allow the latest Mi Air Charge wireless charging experience, Xiaomi has built an in-house isolated charging stack with a phase control array consisting of 144 millimetre-wide wave transmission antennas. These waves go straight to the mobile that needs to be charged by beam formation. The charging stack also holds five-phase interference antennas to consider the orientation of the smartphone.
Xiaomi’s Mi Air Charge system has only been on the show right now, with a Xiaomi spokesman offering Twitter explanation by saying that Mi Air Charge is currently a software demo and is not coming to any commercial goods this year. It is currently uncertain if Xiaomi has applied for any regulatory clearance for the new wireless charging technology. The organization has also not given any information as to whether its production has been checked for health risks. We’ve already reached out for more information.
Since Xiaomi uses proprietary hardware infrastructure, smartphones that will operate with Mi Air Charge would need an antenna array with built-in beacon antenna and a receiver antenna array.
The initial model of Mi Air Charge technology is claimed to be capable of providing 5W remote charging for a single unit within a range of several metres. However, the company states that several devices can also be charged concurrently with each supporting 5W using the same technology. Xiaomi has demonstrated a new technology for smartphones, even though it has stated that it will work on smartwatches, bracelets and other wearables in the near future.
Soon our living room devices, including speakers, desk lamps and other small smart home products, will all be built upon a wireless power supply design, completely free of wires, making our living rooms truly wireless,” the company said.
Like Xiaomi, Motorola claims to have its patented wireless charging system in works that could charge smartphones over a distance of up to one metre. The Lenovo executive posted a video on Weibo to demonstrate a prototype of the latest technology that bears the branding of the Motorola One Hyper, without disclosing any concrete details.
In April last year, Oppo released a teaser demonstrating a wireless over-air charging design called FreeVOOC. The Chinese company posted a video showcasing the latest charging experience on the Oppo Reno Ace Infinity smartphone. It did not obtain an official launch, however.
