Xiaomi today unveiled “Mi Air Charging Technology”, which is capable of charging wireless devices from a 5 W camera.
Mi Air Charge Technology offers a “true wireless charging” solution, without cables or supports. The devices are charged remotely with a power of 5 W, using advanced spatial positioning and a beam-forming energy transmission.
Xiaomi has developed an isolated charging unit with five-phase interference antennas, which can accurately detect the location of a smartphone. A phase control matrix with 144 antennas then transmits millimeter-wide waves directly to the phone by forming the beam.
For smartphones, Xiaomi has developed a corresponding miniaturized antenna array with a “headlight antenna” and a “reception antenna array”. The speaker antenna transmits position information with low power, while the receiving antenna network uses 14 antennas to convert the millimeter wave signal emitted by the charging battery directly into electricity through a rectifier circuit.
Remote charging technology is capable of charging multiple devices within a radius of a few meters, each device capable of receiving 5W power. Xiaomi also notes that physical objects placed between the charging stack and the device do not reduce the charging efficiency.
Xiaomi says it wants to expand the technology to smart watches, bracelets and other portable items, as well as smart home speakers, desk lamps and more in the future. It’s unclear how close Xiaomi is to bringing Mi Air Charge technology and charging to the consumer market, but today’s revelation may suggest that it’s sooner rather than later.
The announcement indicates that advances in wireless remote charging technology in the industry are constantly evolving. A few years ago, it was rumored that Apple would partner with Energous to provide its own wireless remote charging solution. It is believed that Apple is still researching new wireless charging technologies, and with the advent of MagSafe on iPhone 12 models, the company is clearly interested in new ways to power devices.