Tired of your cell phone battery running low or conking out? RCA just unveiled a device which can charge a cell phone (or other MicroUSB device) from a Wifi signal. The Wifi “harvester,” pictured right, converts a Wifi 2.4 ghz signal to DC power. Power is stored in an internal battery when the harvester is in a hotspot. When you need juice for your cell phone, you simply connect it to the harvester (somewhat like the AA battery emergency power supplies for cell phones).
At CES 2010, a demonstration was done using a Blackberry Bold and the harvester. It took approximately 90 minutes to charge the Blackberry from 30% to 100%. Charging time varies based on strength of the Wifi signal. The device will be available Summer 2010 and retail for around $40.
In the future, RCA intends to reduce the size of the harvester and bake it into internal cell phone batteries. So, when the a phone equipped with a harvester battery is in Wifi range, it simply charges itself.
[via OhGizmo]
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Jon Mallin
Founder of Tech Bottle Blog. Attorney & Amateur Blogger. B.A. University of Michigan 1997 and J.D. NYU School of Law 2000.
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