Charge your cell phone battery on a plastic sheet!

University of Tokyo - A team of 7 Japanese researchers have designed a new wireless power-transmission plastic sheet that can deliver up to 40 watts of energy, enough power for small electronic devices such as cell phones and maybe some laptops. At this stage of development, the 4-layer sheet is one millimeter thick and 21 centimeters square, but it could eventually be extended to the size of desk tops, walls and even entire rooms.

The wireless power-transmission device integrates the technology of "organic electronics" as well as inkjet printing and screen printing. In fact, it is built of films of printed plastic MEMS-switching matrix and power-transmission coil array, which constitutes a low-cost and ecologically friendly power system. Objects, equiped with compatible receiver coils, are contactlessly sensed and fed power by the electromagnetic field permitted by the system explained previously.

For example, the new device - embedded in walls, floors or ceilings - can deliver power to miniature electronic objects, such as cell phones, wall-hung televisions or even small Christmas trees decorated of 21 light-emitting diodes! If you wish to learn more about the technical aspects of the wireless power-transmission sheet, please refer to the links included.

References:

Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends, A wireless power transmission plastic sheet, available at http://www.primidi.com/2007/04/30.html

Physorg.com, Flat, Flexible, Wireless Power Source Can Go Anywhere, available at http://www.physorg.com/news99145812.html

The University of Tokyo, A large-area flexible wireless power transmission sheetic
using printed plastic MEMS switches and organic field-effect transistors, available at
http://icdesign.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/2006_22a.pdf