Magnetic Resonant Wireless Charger Launched on Indiegogo
A team out of the Columbia University Startup Lab launched an Indiegogo campaign Thursday for a patent-pending wireless charger that promises wireless charging without tethering. Called the MotherBox, the large, multisided 6 x 6 x 6-inch unit can charge up to four devices simultaneously via an app, said developer Yank Technologies, and the smaller 3.5 x 3.5 x. 3.5-inch MotherBox Mini can charge one or two devices at once. No point-to-point contact is required with the chargers, unlike Qi chargers. Instead, the unit requires a thin receiver membrane that installs between the phone and the phone case and plugs into the charging port. Users can opt for push notifications that signal a low battery, said Yank. MotherBox is based on magnetic resonance charging technology, making the MotherBoxes compatible with AirFuel resonant receivers. They're not compatible with Qi receivers that use inductive technology, said a FAQ section on the Indiegogo page, but phones with built-in Qi receivers can be charged with a MotherBox receiver, it said. The charging range becomes more sensitive to perpendicular alignment the farther the phone is placed from the unit, Yank said. Charging power ranges are given as 4-5 watts at under 5 inches and 1 watt at 10 inches for the portable MotherBox Mini that includes a rechargeable battery. The MotherBox, which connects to an AC outlet, charges at 10 watts at a distance up to 5 inches and at 2 watts (USB 2.0 speed) at 15-20 inches, it said. MotherBox works with Android phones and iPhones, Yank said. Early bird pricing for the MotherBox is $79, plus shipping, for the transmitting unit, receiver and USB cable, with a September target shipping date, and $89 for the Mini. Extra receivers are $12. The campaign had raised $7,060 from 45 backers toward a goal of $25,000 Thursday afternoon.