Energous Sees Fitness Trackers Being Charged by TVs, Sound Bars, LED Candles

Energous expanded on configurations of its WattUp RF wireless charging technology, in a Friday email response to our questions on how WattUp could be implemented in wearables. One example would be a fitness tracker or smartwatch that could be charged while a user is wearing the device, a company spokeswoman told us. A transmitter could be incorporated into the bezel of a computer monitor or desk and charge the tracker at a distance, she said. On the different use cases for near-, mid- and far-field transmitters in WattUp technology, the spokeswoman said a near-field transmitter provides an “in-box solution” to replace a traditional wired plug that comes with electronic devices. The same device also could be charged from a mid- or far-field transmitter, a benefit of the flexible WattUp ecosystem, she said. A customer who orders a WattUp-enabled fitness tracker, for instance, would receive a fast-charge, contact-based near-field transmitter in the box along with the tracker. If the customer also has a WattUp-enabled sound bar, the transmitter inside the sound bar could charge the tracker from 2 to 3 feet away, the spokeswoman said. A graphic on the Energous website shows a living room with numerous installation options for transmitters: inside a mobile device, TV, LED candle, remote control, game console, toy or headphones, along with walls and ceilings. Multiple transmitters linked together in a meshed network allow for extended coverage, Energous says. Both the mid-field and far-field designs are software-controllable, allowing multiple devices to charge simultaneously at different levels, said the company. Initial “significant quantities” of WattUp chipsets are expected to be available from Dialog Semiconductor, which invested $10 million in Energous last fall, by the end of Q2, said Energous last week on an earnings call (see 1705110035).